Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/199842
4 News maltatoday, SUNDAY, 27 OCTOBER 2013 Banned footballer makes lastditch appeal in Lausanne court Kevin Sammut challenging UEFA life ban at Court for Arbitration of Sport CHRIS MANGION FORMER national footballer Kevin Sammut is to file an appeal before the Court for Arbitration _______ _______ STOCK TALTAL-GVERN of Sport in a bid to overturn the life ban handed to him by the UEFA appeals board that extended the European football association's 10-year ban, in a decision that allegedly took just 20 minutes to reach. Sammut was banned for life from any footballrelated activity over match-fixing allegations made in May 2011. According to co-conspirator Mario Cvrtak, who was convicted by a German criminal court in Bochum of match-fixing, the MALTA GOVERNMENT STOCKS Secure Investment Issue of € 120,000,000 in Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks (subject to the over-allotment option of overan additional sum of € 60,000,000 Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks The Accountant General announces that the price for each Fixed Rate Malta Government Stock offered for subscription by members of the public has been established as follows: (i) 3% MGS (Third Issue) – Fungibility Issue Maturing in 2019 at € 103.75 with a YTM of 2.314% (which corresponds to an annualised rate of 2.327%), and (ii) 4.65% MGS (First Issue) Maturing in 2032 at € 100.25 with a YTM of 4.629% (which corresponds to an annualised rate of 4.683%), or (iii) Any combination of the above two Stocks which in the aggregate shall be € 120,000,000 Applications open on Monday 28th October, 2013 at 8.30a.m. and close on the time and dates 30a as hereunder, or earlier at the discretion of the Accountant General: General: th October, 2013 for applications by any single and/or joint • at 5.00 p.m. on Wednesday 30 applicants which in the aggregate do not exceed € ,000 per person, and 100 100, • at 12.00 (noon) on Monday 4th November, 2013 for applications in the form of sealed bids 12. (auction). (auction). Application forms may be obtained from, and lodged at, all Members of the Malta Stock Exchange and other authorized Investment Service Providers on the indicated dates. The Prospectus and the dates. application forms may also be downloaded from the Treasury's website at www.treasury.gov.mt. www.treasury.gov.mt. Bids on the prescribed forms are to be deposited in the Treasury Tender Box or transmitted by fax on 2596 7210 or by e-mail at the e-mail addresses indicated on the application forms. forms. MALTA GOVERNMENT STOCK FOR SAFE INVESTMENT AND LIQUIDITY WITH INTEREST PAID UP TO THE DAY OF RE-SALE OF STOCK RE- SECURITY CONTINUOUS LIQUIDITY INTEREST EVERY SIX MONTHS (The value of the investment may go up or down during the tenor of the Stock.) Treasury Department, The Mall Building, The Mall - Floriana, Malta UEFA qualifier between Malta and Norway played on 7 June 2007 had been fixed. It was alleged that a number of Maltese players had conspired with Cvrtak and bookmaker Ante Sapina, prior to the match, to fix a result which favoured Norway by at least four goals, in return for €70,000. Lawyers Michael and Lucio Scriha said they will face the Court for Arbitration of Sport to request it to annul and revoke the UEFA appeals board's decision, to order UEFA to pay Sammut all costs and legal fees incurred in the course of proceedings and award Sammut any damages it deems appropriate. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport, and is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Match-fixing allegations In the beginning of 2012 the Malta Football Association conducted its own investigation, which was passed on to UEFA in March of the same year. A meeting took place in Nuremberg in which Cvrtak's version was heard. This was followed by other hearings in Malta, and on the 11 April 2012 the UEFA's control and disciplinary board (CDB) started its own hearings on Sammut, and footballers Stephen Wellman and Kenneth Scicluna. A parallel investigation was carried out by Maltese police, which arrested a number of players, but exonerated the Maltese players. On 17 August, the UEFA's CBD in Nyon held there was insufficient evidence to proceed against Wellman and Scicluna, but found Sammut guilty and banned him from football related activities for 10 years. Sammut filed an appeal before UEFA's Appeals Body. Concurrently, UEFA also appealed the same decision by its own disciplinary board, and on 30 November 2012, the appeals body rejected Sammut's appeal, and extended the 10-year ban to a life ban. Sammut's lawyers have now penned a further appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, claiming Sammut was denied the right to a fair trial. Claims of unfair trial According to Sammut's lawyers, while UEFA's disciplinary inspectorate took 14 months to investigate and collect documentation on the case, the accused was informed of the charges raised against him just 15 days prior to the sitting. He was also handed the UEFA case file on that same day. Upon receiving his summons, Sammut informed UEFA that it was impossible to prepare his defence in just 15 days. Pierre Comu, on behalf of the UEFA disciplinary board, replied that the CDB would still decide in Sammut's absence. Eventually the date was moved to 7 August 2012 as the CDB requested a supplementary report. The supplementary report was forwarded to the accused in French, and an English version was received by Sammut just four days before the scheduled hearing. While Sammut provided a list of witnesses to be heard on the case, the CDB said it would not pay any travel expenses for these witnesses to travel to Nyon, and refused to hold the sittings in Malta or provide a video-conferencing alternative. The UEFA disciplinary board chose to hear the prosecution's witnesses Kathleen Saliba via teleconferencing, a fact Sammut's lawyers say shows the deliberate obstacles placed for their client's right to a fair trial. "None of UEFA's prosecution witness-