Premier League clubs are questioning Malta Football Association president Joe Mifsud’s statement last week that the league, which starts in three weeks’ time, is “regular” because, he said, it will be based on last season’s final classifications.

“The classifications at the end of last season cannot be described as being final because there are pending investigations into alleged corruption cases that could alter the positions of various teams,” sources told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

During the MFA’s annual general meeting held yesterday week, Dr Mifsud said that the league that will start on 21 August is “regular” because teams will be playing in the divisions they are entitled to according to last season’s placing.

“But the season has, technically, not ended,” the sources said. “The matches have finished, but the classifications can change if one or more clubs are found guilty of corruption charges they are accused of. If they are relegated – and two clubs face this prospect if found guilty – the classifications will have to be changed, so if changes to last season’s classifications are made after the start of the new season, then this new season cannot be deemed as being ‘regular’.”

Moreover, a hearing in the Marsaxlokk-Msida bribery case was held on Thursday, when the next hearing was postponed to 20 August – just one day before the league is meant to kick off its season.

In his address, Dr Mifsud said that the corruption cases being investigated by an independent board are still sub judice, as they have still to be decided. “Once the alleged corruption cases are still sub judice, as Dr Mifsud has said, the 2008/2009 season can be deemed to be still sub judice as well, because there is no final decision on the outcome of the matches involved, and therefore the classification is not final,” the sources said.

There are clubs that could benefit from another club’s relegation, but a delayed decision, particularly if taken after the start of the 2009-2010 league, would mean that any such benefits could be lost.

Clubs are known to have enquired about their legal position were such a thing to happen, especially because playing in the Premier League means more income than playing in the First Division, the sources said.

But it is highly unlikely that the clubs will be in a position to sue the MFA for damages for playing in an inferior division than the one they think they would have been entitled to once the investigations are over. Football rules make it clear that clubs risk serious repercussions if they take legal action on matters pertaining strictly to football.

“Football has its own jurisdiction, which means that clubs have to seek justice within set parameters established by football federations or associations. If they seek justice elsewhere, such as at the Law Courts, they run the risk of being dismissed. It would be an outright red card,” the sources said.

Clubs that in the past had threatened to take matters to the Law Courts were warned that they would have been dismissed had they done so. No club has ever taken such a risk.

[email protected]