Updated at 3.30 pm with Adrian Delia comment.
Former opposition leader Adrian Delia has said he will not offer legal services to a football organisation headed by his former political rival Joseph Muscat.
Earlier on Tuesday, Times of Malta reported that Delia’s name had been put forward to offer legal advice to the association of professional clubs, recently rebranded to Malta Premier League.
The lawyer appointed will be tasked with leading negotiations between the clubs and the Malta Football Association as clubs seek to take over the running of the Premier League.
At present, the league is run by the MFA.
Reacting to the report, Delia said he would not be taking the position.
“I have always been passionate about football. Few in Malta are not aware of this,” he said.
“If it is true (as I have personally not been approached) that the premier division clubs have nominated me - as you report - to represent them in their newly formed association I am truly honoured. However, I will not be accepting.”
Delia said he would continue to assist local teams individually, irrespective of the league they play in, as he had done on a voluntary basis “for the love of the beautiful game".
Sources said Delia’s name had been put forward to offer legal advice to the association of professional clubs, recently rebranded to Malta Premier League.
No formal appointment has yet been made as the association’s members have also put forward other names.
The lawyer appointed will be tasked with leading negotiations between the clubs and the Malta Football Association as clubs seek to take over the running of the Premier League.
At present, the league is run by the MFA.
Delia said he had no visibility of the discussions being held by football clubs.
“I know nothing about this,” he said.
It is understood that the position Delia has been nominated for would be on a pro bono basis.
Earlier on Tuesday, Delia hit out at a report by journalist Manuel Delia which claimed the politician had been hand-picked for the position.
The journalist later uploaded what appeared to be a message shared among member clubs which listed Delia, along with lawyer Jean Farrugia, as the two nominations so far.
Joseph Muscat supports Delia
Meanwhile, sources said Delia’s nomination, which came from a member club, is supported by his one-time political rival, controversial former prime minister Joseph Muscat.
Muscat was in June approved by professional football clubs to become the head of the body representing them.
Muscat’s appointment was his first public position since stepping down from office in 2019 amid a political crisis linked to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
A spokesperson for the clubs did not get into whether Delia’s name had been put forward.
“The Malta Premier League is in the process of putting together expert negotiating teams to start engaging with the MFA on the organisation of the new Premier League,” a spokesperson said.
“Premier League clubs have been asked to submit their proposals for qualified individuals who can provide their services. Clubs are in the process of submitting names and the selection will take place accordingly.”
Delia addressing a press conference as the president of Birkirkara FC in 2016.Delia is well known in footballing circles having previously served as president of Birkirkara FC. He stepped down from that position in 2017 when he threw his hat in the ring to take over leadership of the Nationalist Party.
During his time at the helm of the club, Delia had made a splash when he hit out at the MFA for “not doing enough” to stop match-fixing.
He had also been in a spot of controversy when he faced sensational allegations that he “kidnapped” the club’s former goalkeeper Miroslav Kopric when he suspected him of match-fixing.
Kopric had been investigated for illegal match-fixing but was never charged in court.