Actions included racism towards players and a fellow official, and explicitly advising a penalty would be handed to the opponent
Following numerous issues that arose during our match against Kalkara Flames and an internal investigation with the squad and coaching staff, the Naxxar Victorians club has submitted an official complaint to the Malta Amateur Football Association (MAFA) with regard to this matter. The following is the full letter:
Attn: Malta Amateur Football Association
Subject: Official Complaint Regarding Sub-Par Officiating and Instances of Racism during [Match Day
11/NOV/2023 at Qormi F.C. Di Santos Ground]
To whom it may concern,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the recent football match between [Kalkara Flames] and [Naxxar Victorians] held on [11/NOV/2023] at [Qormi F.C. Di Santos Ground]. Unfortunately, the match was marred by sub-par officiating and several distressing incidents of racism that have raised serious questions about the integrity and inclusivity of the game.
Firstly, I would like to address the issue of sub-par officiating during the match. It is evident that the performance of the match referee Mr. Lorry Sammut, fell far below the expected standard. Several questionable decisions were made throughout the game, leading to a sense of frustration and dissatisfaction among both players and spectators as well as creating a scenario during the game which led to unnecessary injuries. One such instance was caught on video as per the attached screenshots. Not only was a clear penalty denied in this case, but our player was also injured on this occasion and the match referee decided to ignore the situation instead of calming nerves, thus exacerbating further tempers. Such officiating not only affects the outcome of the match but also undermines the credibility of the sport.
Furthermore, and more alarmingly, there were multiple instances of racism that occurred during the match. Racist remarks and discriminatory behaviour were directed towards our foreign players from the beginning of the game. Such players were barely allowed to touch the ball or use body strength against their counterparts in 50:50 situations without immediately getting fouls called upon. These situations were made worse by the referee constantly telling our foreign players to ‘Shut Up’. Any attempt made by our team Captain to talk amicably to the referee was met with threats of further sanctions.
The most concerning incident occurred when a penalty was awarded against Naxxar Victorians merely 1 metre in front of the linesman (of foreign nationality) because of an alleged foul (which the linesmen did not deem so in the first place) and most importantly outside of the box (as stated initially by the linesmen himself). The match referee in this case decided to give the penalty, ignoring the linesmen completely. What made this incident worse was that our captain who witnessed the verbal exchanges between the referee and the linesman felt the latter was bullied into accepting the referee’s decision and again was told to ‘Shut Up’. From a subsequent internal investigation, it transpired that one person in the stands next to the Kalkara bench heard the words ‘At the first chance you will be awarded a penalty’ uttered by the same referee in question.
Now we of course understand that such instances can be interpreted as hearsay and conjecture, but one cannot fail to notice the uncharacteristically large number of similar issues that point towards a trend in the decision-making process of the referee in question thus creating an environment that goes against the principles of fair play and inclusivity that football strives to uphold. It is disheartening to witness such behaviour, and it is imperative that immediate action is taken to address and rectify these issues.
I am aware that the Malta Amateur Football Association is committed to promoting a safe and inclusive environment for all participants in football. Therefore, I urge the Association to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents mentioned above.
I trust that the Malta Amateur Football Association will treat this complaint with the utmost seriousness it deserves and take prompt and effective action to address the issues raised. Football should be a sport that unites people and promotes positive values, and I believe that through decisive action, we can ensure that the beautiful game remains true to these principles.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing about the steps the Association will take to address these concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Jeremy Busuttil
General Secretary
Naxxar Victorians Amateur F.C.