The Malta Football Association’s Protests Board has turned down a protest filed by Hibernians following their league defeat against Birkirkara.

This judgment confirms Valletta as Malta champions, as they conserve their four-point lead over the Paolites with one game to spare – the direct encounter between the two top clubs on Saturday.

Hibernians challenged the result of the match against Birkirkara, which they lost 2-1, contending that some of the foreigners players in the Birkirkara squad were not registered with the country’s employment bodies.