Updated | Nadur Youngsters secretary, man admit to attempting to bribe footballers

Nadur Youngsters's secretary Anthony Portelli and 34-year-old man from Gharb were this afternoon fined and handed a suspended jail term after admitting to attempting to bribe two football players on Friday.

Standing before duty magistrate Joanne Vella Cuschieri, the accused, George Sultana, 34, of Gharb, and Anthony Portelli, 33, of Nadur, admitted to attempting to bribe the football players in an attempt to influence the outcome of a match. Sources also said that Portelli is the secretary of Nadur Youngsters after enjoying a long football career with his hometown club.

Informed sources explained that the two men attempted to bribe two Xewkija Tigers players before the top-of-the-table clash against Nadur Youngsters on Saturday. The men are said to have agreed to meet the players in Gozo, only for the police to turn up instead. The accused were then arrested by police and arraigned on Sunday afternoon.

Magistrate Vella Cuschieri handed the men a four month jail term suspended for two years and also fined them €1,165.

The club has since distanced itself from the accused, and announced that Portelli has since been sacked from his position as the club’s secretary.

On Facebook, Nadur Youngsters President Karistu Camilleri condemned the action and insisted that the club had nothing to do with the attempted bribe. Camilleri also said that his club would continue working to ensure that football remains a “clean” sport.