Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/750768
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2016 15 gal betting companies setting up shop all over Malta? "I don't think there is any direct correlation, because match fix- ing is not limited to Malta, nor to countries where betting agencies are based. On the contrary, it is a worldwide phenomenon. Some time ago I did some research to see if there was any correlation between corruption in football and the size of the country... whether it was related to the cul- ture of 'everyone knowing every- body'... and also whether there was a connection with the local betting industry. On both counts, there seems to be no direct link." There are, however, sometimes correlations with a country's eco- nomic conditions, insofar as they affect the sport's professional structures. "We see this in other countries, not just Malta. Financial instabil- ity can make players more vul- nerable: if they are not paid on time, or not enough. But again: I don't think that that, alone, can account for the existence or ex- tent of corruption in football..." This raises the question of what can be done about such a seem- ingly insoluble problem. Chetcuti has already pointed out that the MFA is limited in its ability to take action. This is true of judi- cial scenarios, where the MFA has no legal authority. But within the structures of the game itself, it does have internal mechanisms of its own – bans, suspensions, fines, etc – to deal with infringe- ments. To what extent can the MFA, as Malta's governing body, take action? "The MFA does take action, often. If anything, 'sporting jus- tice' is much more straightfor- ward than criminal justice. A lot of people have received 'life sentences' – in the form of bans – over corruption and other is- sues..." Chetcuti suggests it is more a question that the legal sentencing policy needs to catch up with the rules of the game. "The first necessity is to dras- tically increase the penalties for match fixing, and preferably to eliminate suspended sentences. We hope to have new legislation – and the parties are with us on this – that will be tougher on cor- ruption in sport. And we're get- ting there, it's not an easy process. As I said before, the scenario has changed since our current laws were drawn up. We have to look at 'corruption in sport' through a different lens than before: it is no longer a case of small money changing hands at low levels. It is now a global organised crime phenomenon; as such, it has to be treated as part of a broader pic- ture of economic crime. It goes beyond sport..." And yet, the law comes down very heavily on other forms of corruption (in the broader sense). The penalties for fraud and money laundering are posi- tively draconian, compared to those for match fixing. Is it a case that the law doesn't see corrup- tion in sport as part of the same phenomenon? "Absolutely. Even the fines, for example. They are enormous in money laundering. The laws on match fixing are however based on an earlier form of corruption: bribing a goalie to wwin a cup in a small league. I don't want to minimise that sort of crime; but objectively, it is a minor form of corruption than someone who is pocketing hundreds of thousands because he knows the outcome of a match. And there is also an el- ement of public frustration. Peo- ple get annoyed, when they see something they are passionate about is being taken away from them, so that some people can earn a quick buck at the expense of the game..." This, he confesses, is what wor- ries Angelo Chetcuti the most: corruption tarnishes what should be football's most beautiful as- pect: its humanity. "It's a love of the game. And it can be irrational. I consider my- self to be a reasonably practical, rational person; but football is one of the most irrational activi- ties known to man. How can you explain the fact that one is so loyal and dedicated to a team... especially when there is no direct connection? In my case there is another 'irrationality' involved. Often I ask myself: why do I in- vest so much time and energy – not just administratively, but reading... researching... follow- ing... what is ultimately just a game? "The nice thing about it is that I can't answer that question. It's a passion that cannot be explained. To some it may appear frivo- lous... which it may be. Here we are chatting about football, when in America they've just elected Donald Trump. But at the end of the day, that's also what makes it such a beautiful game. It brings people together. It creates a lot of emotion. So it's worth preserv- ing... and I would say developing and nurturing as well. And that is my worry: people who are genu- inely passionate about the game are losing their enthusiasm, be- cause of all the things that are go- ing on..." Interview From corruption to unfortunate comparisons with Iceland, the Malta Football Association's new secretary-general, ANGELO CHETCUTI, outlines the challenges facing the beautiful game football