Police investigating match-fixing attempt in top GFA Division One match

The Malta Police and the Integrity Department of the Malta Football Association are investigating another case of match-fixing, this time in the Gozitan football league, the Times of Malta can confirm.

The match being investigated is the top-of-the-table clash from the GFA Division One between Nadur Youngsters and Qala Saints that was played at the Gozo Stadium last Sunday, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The match held high stakes as Nadur Youngsters and Qala Saints are currently sharing top spot in the GFA Division on 35 points and the winner would have taken a major step towards lifting the crown at the end of the season

Herman Mula, the Integrity Officer of the Malta Football Association, confirmed that an investigation has been opened on the case but it is still at a very premature stage.

Sources have confirmed to the Times of Malta that a person has allegedly approached a Nadur Youngsters player in a bid to convince him to throw the match.

Upon receiving this illicit offer, the Nadur Youngsters player abided by the football regulations and informed the top officials of his club about this approach and a report to the police and the Malta FA who immediately opened an investigation.   

Sources have also said that the police have a number of recordings that are related to this case.

This is the second match-fixing case that has come to light in Maltese football in the past few weeks.

The Times of Malta had reported earlier this month that a top official from a Premier League club was being investigated for alleged match-fixing.

The official involved comes from one of the teams battling for honours in the Premier League and is being investigated after he approached a player of an opposing team to convince him to throw the match involving the two teams involved.

The investigation of the case has been ongoing for several weeks now with the police working hard to gather information on the case.

Informed sources have told the Times of Malta that the police have in their possession several recordings of telephone conversations that are related directly to this case.