More than 50 people were arrested or detained throughout Italy on Tuesday and more than 70 placed under investigation as part of a widespread match-fixing inquiry led by anti-Mafia prosecutors in the southern town of Catanzaro.
Two of those arrested are Maltese - former Msida FC president Robert Farrugia, 45, and his brother Adrian, 34, Mosta team manager. A third man with a Maltese connection is Felice Bellini, born in Catanzaro, who was an official of Gudja United.
(Pictured: Adrian and Robert Farrugia)
They are among the list of 50 persons named by Italian media as having been arrested in the sting.
When contacted by this newsroom, Malta Football Association President Norman Darmanin Demajo said the MFA was at this stage threading carefully trying to verify the facts. “I was informed immediately after the story was broken by the Italian press. We are treading carefully but if this thing turns out to be true, that the two Maltese men are under arrest and investigation, this will spark an investigation from our end, by both the Malta police and the MFA’s integrity officer.”
(Pictured: MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo)
Mr Darmanin Demajo said for the time being he was trying to get more information from both the Italian and Maltese authorities. “The allegations made are on actions that have taken place in Italy but we are closely following the developments. At this point in time we want to be very cautious and verify the facts.”
The sweep involves "dozens" of fixed matches in Italian football's third and fourth division, police said.
Charges include criminal association aimed at sports fraud, with some linked to Mafia organizations — in particular to the 'ndrangheta organized crime syndicate.
The sweep shows "how the ramifications of the 'ndrangheta have reached a high level not only in the classic areas where criminal gangs operate but also in the world of sports," anti-Mafia investigator Renato Cortese said at a news conference to detail the probe labeled "Dirty Soccer."
Those involved "were plotting to extend the fixes to Serie B and bigger matches," Catanzaro prosecutor Vincenzo Antonio Lombardo said.
Catanzaro prosecutors say they have uncovered a network between soccer players, coaches, club presidents and management members involving more than 30 clubs. One police officer was involved, authorities said.
Authorities said the network also had ties in Serbia, Slovenia, Malta, Turkey and Kazakhstan.
Police say clubs involved include Pro Patria, Barletta, Brindisi, L'Aquila, Neapolis Mugnano, Torres, Vigor-Lametia, Santarcangelo, Sorrento, Montalto, Puteolana, Akragas and San Severo.
"Probably in situations like these there needs to be better control of the leagues and more checks required," Italian coaches' association president Renzo Ulivieri told the Gazzetta dello Sport. "If this is the situation, we're facing an absolute emergency."
It wasn't immediately clear if the sweep was linked to the Last Bet operation that has resulted in more than 100 people placed under investigation in Italy since mid-2011, with suspect Serie A and B matches being looked at by prosecutors in the cities of Cremona, Bari and Naples.
Malta police not involved
This newsroom also sent questions to the Malta Police, asking if they had been informed by the Italians, asked to assist in their investigations and also whether they were asked to investigate any Malta links with the alleged match-fixing case. A spokesperson for the force said that Malta Police “has not been involved in such a case.”