Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506448
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 AUGUST 2023 NEWS begins: A new dawn or false hope? "We have stopped people from becoming club administrators if they are not fit for purpose. There are regulations intend- ed to safeguard the clubs from money laundering and prevent bad investments. We have an in- dependent ethics board, we have our inspectors, disciplinary of- ficers. We have created a strong judicial system," the MFA head said. "While there are still things to be done, the work is being car- ried out at a good pace." Muscat said that from his expe- rience during the year and half he has been in charge of the MPL, he feels investors which remain are there for the love of football, "be- cause if you look at the system, it does not make financial sense." He said clubs must be seen as a good investment. "I agree with the MFA's efforts to create a structure where one invests in the club, where you have a system which makes owners responsible. The system should also reward the investor, as they should have financial and fiscal incentives to carry out that investment." Club assets and their use Marsaxlokk FC wants to devel- op an old people's home, along with a hostel, next to an upgraded football pitch, all located outside development zone in an area that is presently used as a garden and a car park. The planning application seeks to turn the site of 13,225 square metres, which is outside the de- velopment zone, into a 188-bed hostel and 255-room old people's home. Photomontages indicate that the complex will be an urban sprawl of a building and will in- clude a childcare centre, a social club, food and drink establish- ments and a physiotherapy clinic. The proposed project has irked many, including two environ- mental organisations - Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar and Din L-Art Ħelwa – who have brand- ed such applications as nothing more than 'fake' business oppor- tunities on public land obtained on the cheap. Muscat said such projects should be in line with govern- ment regulation to ensure there is no exploitation of public land. "Rather than how the land is used, I feel it is important to take note on how proceeds are used to help the club's development. The reality is that there are those who cannot have a pitch at their local- ity, and so these clubs should use that land to fund their organisa- tion's growth," he said. Vassallo echoed Muscat's state- ments, stating approved develop- ments must be in line with legal notices issued by the authorities. "What most interests me is how this commercial investment will impact the club's sporting aspect, and I hope these funds go to- wards assisting the clubs in mak- ing them sustainable," he said. Meanwhile, the BOV Premier League returns on 15 September and will see 14 clubs compete over the span of 26 matchdays. It will be played over two rounds and will see 182 matches played throughout the season. This is a transition period prom- ising a new dawn for Maltese football but in Muscat's words at the launch event, one should not expect immediate results. "We will start seeing results two, three years down the line," Muscat said. For football enthusiasts there is no greater hope than seeing Mal- tese clubs achieve more on the European stage and have a hotly contested domestic league that attracts the crowds. One can only wait and see. MFA President Bjorn Vassallo (left) a Malta Premier League chief Joseph Muscat Football is Malta's most followed sport and yet the domestic leagues fail to attract significant stadium audiences "The system should also reward the investor, as they should have financial and fiscal incentives to carry out that investment" - Joseph Muscat