MFA president Joe Mifsud blocks entry to MaltaToday journalists

As MFA president Joe Mifsud faces a clear challenge to his unbroken 18-year reign at the helm of the Malta Football Association, the power-hungry football mogul has decided to block accreditation to MaltaToday and Illum newspapers’ sports journalists.

No reason has been given for the refusal to allow journalists Charlot Zahra and Mark Attard inside the MFA’s offices in Ta’ Qali, but Mifsud is clearly eager not to allow MaltaToday to report the goings-on of this election.

Mifsud has sued Illum journalist Mark Attard for reporting claims by candidate Norman Darmanin Demajo on how Mifsud has spent TV rights earned for Malta international matches. Darmanin Demajo revealed documents on the June 2000 friendly between Bayern Munich and a Maltese team selection, for which a sum of money was allegedly paid to influence Mifsud’s vote in favour of the German bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

Darmanin Demajo claimed that in October 2000, the MFA had received a payment of $250,000 in its account, with Mifsud then producing a contract – which was a ‘certified true copy of the original’ – which however aroused suspicion in the way it was worded.

According to investigative reporter Andrew Jennings in a programme on Fifa on BBC’s Panorama, lucrative TV deals for matches were arranged between Germany's top club buyer and Joe Mifsud, one of FIFA's crucial voters.

“The deal was made by the German owned sports marketing company CWL… CWL had been paying money to the Maltese Association for years under existing contracts. But this one-off contract left the account number and sort code blank, but specifically named President Joe Mifsud. The payment was scribbled in, a quarter of a million dollars. The money was to be paid into a trust account in June. But our sources say that Dr Mifsud didn't tell anybody in Malta about his coup for another four months. Then, during a row about his dealings with CWL he produced a contract and the money then appeared in the Maltese FA's accounts.”

Yesterday MaltaToday also revealed how Labour leader Joseph Muscat was angered at the news that One TV chairman Jason Micallef and former Lorry Sant henchman Ronnie Pellegrini have been campaigning to have Joe Mifsud re-elected as president.

It is understood that a 'secret agreement' was reached between Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition leader Joseph Muscat that both political parties will stay away from interfering in the toughly contested election for the MFA presidency.

Tensions are high as the 109 delegates from clubs around Malta and Gozo will cast their votes later today and decide between incumbent Joe Mifsud who has been in office for 19 years and Norman Darmanin Demajo who is contesting the post for the second time.

Mifsud will give €10,000 in cash to all the 10 Premier League clubs to employ a full time club administrator. The money, derived from a TV rights deal Mifsud has negotiated on an international friendly to be announced later this year – perhaps against the Italian national team – is crucial for the incumbent to fend off the competition from Darmanin Demajo.