The Malta Football Association has called an urgent meeting of the executive board to discuss the request made by Ħamrun Spartans to have their president Joseph Portelli registered as a player.

On Monday, the Malta FA formally accepted the Gozitan developer’s resignation as president of Ħamrun Spartans FC, paving the way for the club to register him as a player.

However, the Malta FA immediately referred the case to the ethics and compliance committee on the basis of its reputational risk management policy.

The ethics committee will give its view when the board meets at 3pm today and it will then decide whether or not to allow Portelli to play. 

“An executive board meeting has been convened this afternoon to discuss the request submitted by Ħamrun Spartans FC to register their former president, Mr Joseph Portelli, as a player,” the Malta FA said in a statement.

“This follows the latter’s resignation from the post of club president last week."

It said the matter was "immediately referred" to the ethics and compliance committee, which met on Monday evening when it also called upon Ħamrun's Club Secretary to provide the club’s position.

“The committee’s recommendation will be presented to the executive board in today’s meeting.

“The registration of players is possible until today January 31, 2023 at midnight.”

The MFA’s Reputational Risk Management Policy states that registrations which “could be deemed as potentially damaging for the reputation of the association” can be referred to its ethics committee.

The construction magnate would like to play for a few minutes in one of the final matches after the team had amassed enough points to secure the title.

Some football clubs and Malta Premier League chairman Joseph Muscat have urged him to desist, warning that it would harm his reputation and the “integrity of football".

But Portelli is going ahead with his plan, arguing that he has dreamt of playing in the Premier League since he was a child.