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The Association for the Promotion of Sport in Malta, always to the fore in the development and advancement of sport, feels duty bound to bring to the attention of the UEFA a very regrettable and unbecoming misdemeanour committed by none other than Dr Joseph Mifsud, President of the Malta Football Association and a Member of the UEFA’s Executive Committee.
The bizarre incident which caused a lot of concern and dismay amongst sport enthusiasts, and especially parents, concerned an MFA groundsman of a venue where junior football is played and where a nearby state school carries out its sporting activities. The grounds man in question was reported, found guilty and given a suspended sentence by the Courts of Law for having corrupted a minor.
Strangely enough, Dr Mifsud, a lawyer himself and heading Malta’s foremost sports institution, not only did he not take remedial action by, above all, dismissing the paedophile groundsman, but he preferred to keep mum about it all. To make matters worse, when this absurd and deplorable incident came to light, Dr Mifsud not only did he resist correcting his position, but attempted to mitigate the matter. To add insult to injury, he closed the premises and barred the State School from using it further, although, through the insistence of the Minister of Education, he afterwards relented. However, it must be mentioned that the MFA had no title whatsoever on this ground, with the lease having expired in 1993. Furthermore, Lm20,000 (Euro55,000) in lapsed rent, were written off by the Government.
When all Malta went up in arms against Dr Mifsud, the Minister for Family and Social Solidarity, the CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services and the Commissioner for Children, amongst others, did their utmost to instil some sense to Dr Mifsud’s stubborn disposition but to no avail, more that, he retorted by his usual rough and abusive manner. No wonder, the general public is aglow with disdain and distrust towards Dr Mifsud and the MFA. The general consensus is that he has no alternative but to resign forthwith.
As regards UEFA, the case in point constitutes a far more grave and wide incidence, having Dr Mifsud on its executive board. Dr Mifsud’s misconduct goes counter to UEFA’s continuous endeavour to foster a clean and healthy image in the football spectrum. Dr Mifsud has failed miserably in this regard and so, if he desits resigning his post on the MFA and UEFA, he should be made to do so.
Charles Zammit
Hon. General Secretary/PRO
Association For The Promotion Of Sport In Malta
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