Malta Premier League player arrested after alleged bid to fix FA Trophy final
Gżira United and Valletta FC sent a joint report on the attempt to the authorities
A Premier League player has been arrested and kept in custody for allegedly offering a bribe to a Gżira United player ahead of last Saturday’s FA Trophy final against Valletta.
Valletta and Gżira United faced off in the showdown at the National Stadium, with the Citizens winning 2-1.
A day before the final, a Gżira United player informed his club that he was approached by another player, who is not on the books of Valletta FC, and offered him a sum of money to throw Saturday’s final.
The suspect is not being identified as he has not yet been charged in court.
Upon receiving information from their player, Gżira United, jointly with Valletta FC, contacted the Malta FA Integrity Officer and informed him of the allegations.
The MFA Integrity Officer opened an investigation into the case and contacted the police, who took the lead in the investigation.
Sources told Times of Malta that over the past two days, the police went through all the evidence and spoke with both the Gżira United player and officials from the Premier League club.
On Wednesday, the police arrested the player who allegedly offered the unspecified bribe.
The suspect was interrogated by the police and kept in custody pending further investigation, which will determine whether there will be sufficient evidence to charge him in court with match-fixing offences.
Read the full story on sport.timesofmalta.com