National Amateur League club Attard FC have been given a nine-point penalty, fined €1,000 and banned for five years from international competitions after they were found guilty of breaching the association’s regulations on bribery and betting on football matches.
The local governing body said in a statement that the sanction was given in relation to the case against former club member Rudgear Scerri who was given a suspended prison sentence after he admitted to criminal charges related to offences of attempted bribery in a National Amateur League match between Kalkara and Attard that was played on December 5, 2020.
“The Malta FA Board to Adjudicate Charges relating to Bribery and Illegal Betting in Football has imposed a 9-point penalty, a fine of €1,000 and a five-year suspension from international competitions on Attard FC after finding the club guilty of breaching the Association’s Regulations on Bribery and Betting regarding football matches,” the statement said.
“In a court ruling, Rudgear Scerri, the former Attard FC Committee Member, was fined €50,000 and given a suspended prison sentence after he admitted to criminal charges related to offences of attempted bribery in a National Amateur League match – Kalkara FC vs Attard FC, played on the 5th December 2020.
“The Malta Football Association had immediately issued a suspension against Mr Scerri from any football activity on the 13th January 2021 following a decision of the Bureau of the Association.
“In the case against Attard FC, the Board noted that “although the charges brought against Rudgear Scerri by the MFA have not been determined and have been put off sine die at the prosecution’s request, the judgement given by the Court of Magistrates, and the guilty please filed by the accuse are more than enough evidence for the prosecution to prove the charges brought against the Club.”
The MFA said that the Board referred to Articles 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the Regulations on Bribery and Betting regarding Football Matches (Section IX) and found Attard FC guilty of the charges brought against it and fined the Club the sum of one thousand Euro (€1,000). It also ordered a deduction of nine (9) points applicable in the season 2021/2022.
Attard FC have the right to appeal against the decisions of the Board to Adjudicate Charges relating to Bribery and Illegal Betting in Football.
