A court has found 33-year-old footballer Jurgen Pisani guilty of attempting to manipulate a Malta Premier League match played on 3 May 2024 between Santa Lucia and Birkirkara, sentencing him to 15 months in prison and imposing a 10-year ban from all sporting activity.

Pisani had faced two charges under the Prevention of Corruption in Sport Act: involvement in the manipulation of a sporting event, and failure to report the offence within fourteen days. The court found him guilty of the first charge but acquitted him of the second, ruling that an accused person cannot be expected to report his own wrongdoing without breaching the right to silence.

The match in question was the final fixture of the season. While the result was irrelevant for Birkirkara, who had already secured European qualification, Santa Lucia needed a win to avoid relegation. The game ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw.

Central to the case was the testimony of Birkirkara forward Maxuell Maia, who told the court that he was approached during the match by both Steve Pisani and Jurgen Pisani. Maia said Steve Pisani told him to "take it easy" and not score, but did not offer money. He testified that Jurgen Pisani later offered him €2,000 not to score, pressing him repeatedly for an answer and covering his mouth while speaking.

Maia said he did not respond to the offer and was offended by the approach. He added that he chose to confront Steve Pisani because they had previously played together and had a personal relationship, whereas he had no connection with Jurgen Pisani. After the match, Maia reported the incident to Birkirkara president Michael Valencia, who then referred the matter to the Malta Football Association's integrity officer.

The integrity officer testified that he received confidential information about possible match-fixing three days after the game and was directed to speak to Maia. Following this, a report was filed with the police.

The police investigation revealed that both Jurgen and Steve Pisani had deleted WhatsApp conversations from the period around the match. The court considered this a suspicious act, particularly since messages resumed the day after the match. Inspector Wayne Rodney Borg, who led the prosecution, said the deletion appeared unnecessary and raised doubts about the explanations given.

Jurgen Pisani denied all allegations in his police statements and in court. He insisted he had never offered money, had not spoken to Maia during the match in the manner described, and had no knowledge of any attempt to manipulate the game. He also denied discussing any such matter with Steve Pisani.

However, his explanations for deleting messages were inconsistent. He variously claimed that he deleted chats because his child used his phone, due to storage issues, or to conceal personal plans such as going out after matches. At one point, he referred to "gentlemen's clubs" before later downplaying this. The court found these explanations unconvincing, particularly given that messages after the match had also been deleted.

Steve Pisani also testified, admitting that he had spoken to Maia during the game but denying any corrupt intent. He said his comments were misinterpreted and related to performance rather than any attempt to influence the outcome. The court, however, rejected his version as implausible.

The defence argued that the allegations had either been fabricated to harm the accused or resulted from a misunderstanding due to Maia's limited English. The court dismissed both claims. It noted that Maia had consistently reported the incident in English from the outset, including to club officials and police, and had later confirmed his account without the aid of an interpreter.

The court also found that Maia had no apparent motive to invent the allegations. It considered it significant that he distinguished between the two players, accusing only Jurgen Pisani of offering money. This, the court said, strengthened his credibility.

In contrast, the court described the evidence of Jurgen and Steve Pisani as confused and unconvincing. It also noted that match footage confirmed there had been sufficient proximity between Pisani and Maia for such exchanges to take place.

The defence further argued that earlier disciplinary proceedings within the football association had not resulted in a guilty finding and should influence the court. This argument was rejected, with the court stating that disciplinary decisions do not bind criminal proceedings, which operate under different legal standards.

In sentencing, the court stressed the seriousness of match-fixing and the need to safeguard the integrity of sport. It took into account Pisani's clean criminal record but also noted an aggravating factor: his status as a public officer employed as a teacher.

The court imposed a 15-month prison sentence and ordered that Pisani be disqualified for 10 years from participating in or attending any sporting event, as well as from entering premises of sporting organisations. It also ordered his general perpetual interdiction and directed that the judgment be published in the Government Gazette.