UEFA appeal slaps life ban on Malta international Kevin Sammut

Malta international and Valletta FC Kevin Sammut, known also as 'Il-Viper' has been handed a lifetime ban on football after a UEFA appeals board extended the 10-year worldwide ban from a previous UEFA judicial board, for finding him guilty of match-fixing during an international qualifier between Malta and Norway.

Two other players, Kenneth Scicluna and Stephen Wellman, had their acquittal confirmed. The findings of the disciplinary Inspector had been insufficient to take disciplinary action against the latter players.

The president of the Malta Football Association (MFA), Norman Darmanin Demajo had refused to reveal the names of the Malta national players charged by UEFA's disciplinary inspectors in connection with match-fixing allegations surrounding the Euro 2008 qualifier between Norway and Malta.

News that Valletta FC midfielder Kevin Sammut was one of the three players being charged was met with a wall of silence by sports broadcasters and journalists, after MaltaToday broke the news in June.

The Maltese police had started investigating allegations of a fixed match between Norway and Malta last year, when the claims first surfaced during a match-fixing trial in Germany.

Croat Marijo Cvrtak, a convicted member of a notorious Croatian betting syndicate, had identified the Euro 2008 qualifier between Malta and Norway as one of the rigged matches. The match had ended with Malta being beaten by Norway 4-0 in Oslo.

The MFA had also carried out a three-month inquiry, during which more than 30 persons were interviewed. The investigation was detailed in a 500-page dossier that has been passed on to UEFA in March.