The Malta Football Association issued a statement in which it was announced that Rio Micallef and Lydon Micallef were both suspended indefinitely, pending the outcome of disciplinary procedures by the association, following news that the Court of Magistrates fined them €10,000 and €20,000 respectively after being found guilty of illegal betting.

Magistrate Victor Axiak handed down two separate judgments in which he found Rio Micallef and Marsa FC player Lydon Micallef guilty of their involvement in illegal betting when they did not have a licence. The court heard how police had received a report about corruption in sports that involving former Attard FC committee member Rudger Scerri and that during investigations, police found seized Scerri’s phone and found chats between Scerri, Rio Micallef and Lydon Micallef on his phone that showed they had been organising betting on football matches. Scerri was eventually jailed for six months and banned for life for match-fixing.

The Malta FA said that this information has already been passed on to the Executive Board of the Association and to the clubs concerned and that no further comments will be made at this stage as the case is sub-judice.

“Il-Malta Football Association tażva illi ġiet akkonnoxxenza ta’ deċiżjonijiet mill-Qorti tal-Maġistrati (Malta) bħala Qorti ta’ Ġudikatura Kriminali, liema deċiżjonijiet jikkontjenu akkużi serji fil-konfront ta’ Rio Micallef u Lydon Micallef, żewġ persuni affiljati ma’ membri tal-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Futbol.

Għaldaqstant aktar kmieni llum l-istess Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Futbol infurmat lill-persuni nvoluti li qiegħdin immedjatament jiġu sospiżi b’mod indefinit sakemm jittieħdu l-proċeduri interni abbażi tar-regolamenti.

Il-Malta Football Association tavża illi din l-informazzjoni diġa’ għaddiet lill-Bord Eżekuttiv tal-Assoċjazzjoni u lill-klabbs ikkonċernati.  F’dan l-istadju mhux se jsiru aktar kummenti ġaladarba l-każ huwa sub-judice.”