The Malta Football Players Association (MFPA) refers to the comments made by Mr Michael Valenzia, President of Birkirkara Football Club, about the issues surrounding the help provided by our Association to a player before signing with Birkirkara FC during the January transfer window and at the same time the transfer ban imposed on the club. 

For the sake of fairness and clarity, the MFPA would like to highlight the key points which led to this situation as these were regrettably left out by Mr Valenzia when speaking about the matter during Kampjonat on TVM Sport+ yesterday (5th February, 2024).

First and foremost, the comment that the MFPA acts as an agent for players is completely unfounded and incorrect. MFPA provides advice on contractual matters to every member player that asks for this assistance as part of a vast array of services the MFPA offers to its member players. 

During the mentioned period, Birkirkara FC were banned by FIFA from registering new players over their failure to honour their contractual obligations towards one of their former players.

Acting on behalf of this player, the MFPA had sent Birkirkara FC a letter and no fewer than three reminders to pay the player’s wages who was not paid for three consecutive months, reinstate him in the first-team squad and allow him to train with his team-mates after he was isolated and spent over a month training on his own. The MFPA also asked the club to conduct an independent investigation over an alleged incident involving this player and their former coach. 

Our repeated appeals to Birkirkara FC went unheeded and consequently a claim was filed with the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber who, on the 26th October, 2023, communicated the decision with grounds in favour of the player and that Birkirkara FC must pay the outstanding wages and remuneration, and were also ordered to pay compensation for breach of contract without just cause. Birkirkara FC had also been duly informed about the impending transfer ban if they failed to make the full payment to the player within 45 days.

The MFPA wants to emphasise that it's unrealistic for a club to expect them to request a ban after a player's registration has been finalised. Even though in this case, the MFPA assisted another player with contractual matters, this aligns with the ongoing commitment to actively support member players – and these services are offered free of charge, contrary to what was implied by Mr Valenzia.

The MFPA is duty-bound to defend and safeguard the rights and interests of all member players, without distinction – this is the essence of our mission. It is also why the Association also supported the player who won their case at FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber in October.

In reality, the club had sufficient time to address the situation and avoid the registration ban. Once they complied with FIFA’s decision and compensated the player, they were able to register new players.

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Il-Malta Football Players Association (MFPA) tagħmel referenza għall-kummenti li saru mis-sur Michael Valenzia, President ta’ Birkirkara Football Club, dwar l-għajnuna li l-MFPA tat lil plejer qabel ma’ dan iffirma mal-istess klabb waqt is-suq tat-trasferimenti ta’ Jannar fil-kuntest ta’ ordni ta’ projbizzjoni imposta mill-FIFA fuq il-klabb matul dak il-perjodu.

Għall-fini ta’ korrettezza, l-MFPA tixtieq tispjega l-fatti dwar x’wassal għal din is-sitwazzjoni għaliex, sfortunatament, ċertu dettalji importanti tħallew barra mis-Sur Valenzia waqt il-programm televiżiv Kampjonat li xxandar ilbieraħ (5 ta’ Frar, 2024) fuq TVM Sport+

L-ewwelnett, il-kumment li l-MFPA taġixxi bħala aġent għall-plejers huwa kompletament skorrett u bla ebda bażi. L-MFPA toffri assistenza u gwida dwar kuntratti lil kull plejer membru li jitlob jew titlob din l-għajnuna li hi parti mill-firxa ta’ servizzi li l-MFPA toffri lill-istess plejers membri. 

Matul il-perjodu msemmi, Birkirkara FC kienu projbiti mill-FIFA milli jirreġistraw plejers ġodda wara li naqsu milli jonoraw l-obbligazzjonijiet kuntrattwali lejn eks plejer tal-istess klabb.

Kif tagħmel dejjem meta ssir talba għall-assistenza minn plejer membru, l-MFPA kienet bagħtet ittra u tliet reminders lil Birkirkara sabiex iħallsu l-pagi u pendenzi oħra lill-plejer konċernat, li kien ilu tliet xhur ma jitħallas, u jerġgħu jintegrawh fl-iskwadra billi kien ġie iżolat tant li għamel iktar minn xahar jitħarreġ waħdu. L-MFPA kienet talbet lill-klabb biex jagħmel investigazzjoni indipendenti dwar allegat inċident li kien jinvolvi lill-istess plejer u l-eks kowċ tal-klabb.

L-appelli tagħna ma ngħatawx widen mill-klabb u sussegwentement infetħet kawża mal-FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber li, fis-26 ta’ Ottubru, 2023, ikkomunikat id-decizjoni bir-ragunijiet favur il-plejer u ordnat lil Birkirkara FC iħallsu l-ammonti kollha dovuti kif ukoll kumpens talli kisru l-kundizzjonijiet tal-kuntratt migħajr ġustifikazzjoni. Birkirkara FC kienu wkoll infurmati dwar il-projbizzjoni fuq trasferimenti jekk ma jħallsux l-ammonti dovuti fi żmien 45 ġurnata.

L-MFPA tisħaq li klabb ma jistax realistikament jistenna lill-MFPA titlob biex projbizzjoni stabbilita mill-FIFA tidhol fis-seħħ biss wara li l-klabb ikun daħħal ir-reġistrazzjoni ta’ plejer ġdid. Il-fatt li l-MFPA, f’dan l-istess perjodu, assistiet plejer ieħor dwar materji kuntrattwali qabel iffirma ftehim mal-klabb jorbot mal-impenn kontinwu tagħna li nassistu lill-plejers membri kollha – u dan isir mingħajr ħlas mhux kif kien implikat mis-sur Valenzia.

L-MFPA hija obbligata li tgħin u tissalvagwardja l-interessi ta’ kull plejer membru, mingħajr l-ebda distinzjoni – din hija l-qofol tal-missjoni tagħna. Kien għalhekk li assistejna lill-plejer li essenzjalment rebaħ il-każ mal-FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber f’Ottubru li għadda.

Fil-verità, il-klabb in kwistjoni kellu ħin biżżejjed biex jindirizza s-sitwazzjoni u jevita l-projbizzjoni fuq trasferimenti. Fil-fatt, ġaladarba l-klabb onora d-deċiżjoni tal-FIFA u ħallas lill-plejer, huma setgħu jirreġistraw plejers ġodda.