Watch: MFPA, Malta FA and clubs reach deal in principle on rule amendments to stop transfers abuse in youth football

The Malta Football Players Association has reached an agreement in principle with the Malta Football Association and its affiliated clubs to make significant changes in the legislature that caters players’ movement in youth football.

This breakthrough comes after weeks of controversy that was sparked by allegations made during sports programme Il-Kampjonat where it was claimed that parents of children as young as 12-years-old were forced to pay their club a sort of transfer fee so that their child is given permission to move to another club, even though it’s illegal in the current legislation.

The Times of Malta spoke with MFPA general secretary Carlo Mamo on the situation and confirmed that talks have been ongoing with the MFA and the clubs to introduce a number of amendments to bring to a halt the illegal payments for young players’ transfers.

Mamo gave a brief overview over the current regulations.

“In youth football, players that have not celebrated their 12th birthday can move from one club to another without any condition,” the MFPA General Secretary said.

“Players who are 12-years-old can register until the end of the U-15 competition, which means that they have to spend three seasons with that club. That means that these young players have to spend an obligatory period of three years with that club and should they wish to move elsewhere, they have to ask permission to their club.

“Once the U-15 competition comes to an end, a player must be tied down to four seasons, during which he plays for the majority of that period in the U-17 competitions and also the Youth League. Again, if he wishes to move to another club he must ask permission to his current club.

“It’s important to emphasises that there cannot be any money involved for player’s transfer until he is 16-years-old. But unfortunately there are several cases in front of the MFA boards where youngsters are denied the chance to move to another club unless there is a form of payment to their current club.”

Mamo made it clear that very few clubs adopt such illegal behaviour but the current transfer system is not good enough and that is why they are currently in talks with the MFA and clubs so that the necessary changes are implemented.

“Our goal is to introduce a fair system that safeguards those players who don’t have the ability to play with Club A and would like to move to Club B and with the current legislation it gives the clubs the opportunity to impose conditions, including that to receive money from parents and clubs, to let a player move to another team,” Mamo said.

Mamo revealed that the discussion with the MFA and the clubs to make changes to the current system was sparked by a case that is currently being heard in front of the Court of Arbitration of Sport, where a 14-year-old was denied the chance to move to another club.

“The MFPA has been focusing on this situation since 2016 when we have launched a campaign to highlight this issue and although the situation improved a bit, we felt that it was not enough,” Mamo said.

CAS hearing

“The current discussion was initiated after a 14-year-old player went in front of the Court of Arbitration of Sport after he was denied the opportunity to move elsewhere by his club.

“Initially we took the case in front of the Malta FA’s Complaints Board but they maintained that they were not competent enough to rule over the case. It was here, that we took the case in front of the CAS who has the power to change this legislation.

“Initially the case had been temporarily stopped until March 31 and an initial meeting was held between the MFPA, the MFA and the clubs but no agreement had been reached on the details of the transfer amendments we proposed.”

The MFPA General Secretary said that the CAS agreed to extend the deadline until May 23. A new meeting was held and an agreement in principle was reached so that the current system is improved and safeguards those players who are finding it difficult to play with their current club.

“We have agreed on three principles,” Mamo said.

“A player cannot be asked to sign a contract with a club until he is 12-years-old or he finishes playing in the U-15 competition. We had situations where players were threatened that they will not be given the chance to play in the competition unless they ties themselves with the club. And there is an agreement that this scenario cannot happen any more.

“The second principle is about U-15 players who must sign a four-year contract. There are many players who are forced to stop playing football as they don’t find space at their clubs and are denied the opportunity to move elsewhere. We felt that the four-year period was too long and our proposal is to shorten that period to two years.

“The third principle says that in all age-groups a club cannot have 30 or 40 players. This is because that in the U-17 you have a limited number of players that can play.

“We are arguing that you can have a list of players that have a good chance that they play and the others who are happy at the club can continue to train with their team but if they wish to move elsewhere they can do so without any condition.”

Mamo said that another meeting is scheduled to finalise this details but he believes that these new amendments will help to limit the number of ‘illegal’ movements and help so that more young players continue to play football.