MFA vice-president John Farrugia said in a statement yesterday that it was not true that he presented the second division championship trophy to Tarxien president Tony Cassar.

Farrugia said that he presented the trophy to Tarxien captain Simon Shead, and eventually handed the miniature trophy to Tarxien president Cassar, because the trophies table was going to be overturned by the same jubiliant Tarxien players.

Earlier, Sliema President Robert Arrigo had this to say on the reports published on Moday in the local media, following the presentation incident.

“I refer to various reports as appeared in monday's daily newspapers on the presentation of the 26th championship trophy to swfc, that have given rise to conflicting comments and opinions.

The facts of the matter are :

I was pleasantly surprised when another respected club president was presented, only recently, with his clubs' trophy . On that basis I thought it would be likewise for my club too.

I discussed this with the club's captain and collegaues , and obtained an approval. My reaction as reported was, in turn , a human reaction to some unprecedented and uncalled for remarks, that left those who heard them very concerned.

Although the practice is that the captain is given the trophy, there is no rule in the book that regulates this procedure or forbids anybody else from recieving such an honour.

This gesture, if anything, would have gone a long way to mending differences.

I hope I have clarified the incident to the neutral public.”