Malta’s Aquatic sports body opens probe into water polo betting scandal

By Neville Borg

On Wednesday, Times of Malta revealed that as many as 15 individuals including players and a coach from across several clubs, have been linked to a betting scandal.

A report drawn up by the Malta Gaming Authority and submitted to the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS) flagged evidence of bets placed on several water polo events, including Malta national team fixtures.

Last week, the ASA said it had not taken any disciplinary action against the players or coach involved in the affair because it had not yet received the Malta Gaming Authority’s report on the matter.

In a fresh statement following Wednesday’s revelations, ASA said it was now cooperating with the Malta Gaming Authority to access its reports about the case, after the two entities signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday.

ASA said “it has initiated an investigation into potential integrity breaches” involving national team players, among others.

ASA added that while there appeared to have been a breach, “the preliminary view does not suggest any match-fixing or deliberate attempts to compromise competition outcomes”.

“Some betting activity has been identified among certain individuals which do constitute breaches, but the conduct observed does not appear to constitute match-fixing,” ASA said.

ASA said the investigation, led by its integrity office, is ongoing, pledging to address any activity that compromises the credibility of the sport “with the utmost seriousness”.

“The Association remains firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity within aquatic sports,” it said.

ASA stopped short of naming the players involved, saying it would not be making any additional comments “so as to safeguard the integrity of the ongoing process”.

Among those identified in MGA’s report are six national team players, together with other individuals connected to several clubs, mainly San Ġiljan and Sliema. The investigation also involves a youth team coach.

One San Ġiljan player is believed to have placed bets totalling more than €22,000, with others wagering significantly smaller amounts.