MFPA Player-zone Magazine 5

Player Zone 2021
PLAYER Z
NE
Release No. 5 - 2021
Committed to Protecting the
Rights of Football
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Players

Player Zone 2021
Player Zone 2021
CONTENTS
Message from the
General Secretary
Carlo Mamo
As we welcome in a new year, we can’t help but
look back at the challenging year we have just had.
Covid-19, has had an impact in all walks of life, and
in every sector, including football.
P. 3
Message from the
General Secretary
P. 4
MFPA Awards goes Virtual
P. 8
The long road towards the
removal of parameters
MFPA, like the rest of the world faced unprecedented
challenges. At times, overwhelmed by the hundreds of requests for help from players,
and despite having our resources and manpower stretched, we set about helping
everyone who sought us out. Simultaneously, we also unveiled a number of proactive
projects to help players deal with the pandemic.
But 2020 was not all bad. This past June, MFPA has attained its biggest goal yet. The
abolition of Parameters is a massive victory, not only for us as a Players’ union, but
most of all for present and future generations of football players, who are now finally
the masters of their own destiny and development. This victory is not the end goal, it
is only the beginning of what we dream of, for Maltese football.
P. 12
COVID-19 turning our world
upside down
P. 15
What has MFPA been up to
in 2020
P. 16
Nutritional implications on
the return to competitive
football after an injury
We are hopeful for a much better year than the last. And whilst Covid-19 is still an
ever-present challenge, MFPA is optimistic and steadfast in its commitment to help all
those players who seek our help.
I hope you all have a wonderful year.
P. 20
They deserve better – on
Women’s football in Malta
P. 22
Why the Red Button App can
be a game changer in the
fight against Match Fixing
P. 24
Something about us:
Gareth Sciberras
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2020 was a year unlike anything else. Due to social distancing protocols,
the annual MFPA Awards could not take place in its traditional format, and
while we greatly missed the atmosphere of a live ceremony with Malta’s
elite football players under one roof, we felt we should still honour the
players who had a stellar season in 2019/2020. So we set about planning
a virtual ceremony.
The process for nominee selection was
unchanged. A shortlist was finalised by
Malta’s top coaches. As happens every
year, the winners were selected by
fellow players. What did change, was
that we replaced the physical voting
ballots with digital ones, since it was
safer to keep things contactless.
The winners were announced in a
ceremony hosted by Keith Demicoli
and broadcast on TVM2 on the 16th of
September 2020.
Walter Sargent & Charlot Lanzon
MFPA Special Award Winners
MFPA AWARDS GOES
VIRTUAL
For the first time in its history, two
special awards were given, one to
Charlot Lanzon and Walter Sargent
for saving the life of Yau-Mun Law,
and another was given to Dorianne
Theuma, for being the first and only
woman to have played one hundred
games with the Maltese national team.
The Merit Award went to Pierre Brincat
for his invaluable contribution to
women’s football in Malta.
DID YOU KNOW?
That Nursery Compensation has been
abolished as of season 2020/21? MFPA’s
work bore fruit. Parents are no longer
obliged to pay upwards of €1200 for their
children to move to a new nursery.
Dorianne Theuma
MFPA Special Award Winner
Pierre Brincat
MFPA Merit Award Winner
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On the night, we saw a new award being introduced: the Best Young Player from the Female
division, which was awarded to Haley Bugeja. The MFPA Best Eleven awards, saw many firsttime
winners. The biggest winners of the night were; Matthew Guillaumier, who won three
awards, one of which was the Best Young Player from the Male division, and Steve Borg who
is the only player to have won this award in two consecutive seasons.
The full list of winners is:
Best Futsal Player Best Young Male Player Best XI - Centre Backs
Celino Alves Matthew Guillaumier Steve Borg
Best First Division Player
Best Young Female Player
Enrico Pepe
Erjon Beu
Haley Bugeja
Best XI - Midfielders
Best Referee
Special Award
Matthew Guillaumier
Jackson Mendoza
Trustin Farrugia Cann
Charlot Lanzon
Diego Venancio
Walter Sargent
Best Coach
Dorianne Theuma
Best XI - Forwards
Vincenzo Potenza
Mario Fontanella
Best Young Goalkeeper
Timothy Aquilina
Merit Award
Pierre Brincat
Kristian Keqi
Caio Henrique Prado
Best Young Defender
Best XI - Goalkeeper
Best Female Player Overall
Matthew Guillaumier
Haley Bugeja
Joseph Mbong
Best Young Midfielder
Matthew Guillaumier
Best Young Forward
Aidan Jake Friggieri
Henry Bonello
Best XI - Right Back
Joseph Mbong
Best XI - Left Back
Ryan Camenzuli
Loza Abera
Best Male Player Overall
Steve Borg
Henry Bonello
Joseph Mbong
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THE LONG ROAD TOWARDS THE
REMOVAL OF
PARAMETERS
They had told us it would be
impossibe. That we would
never manage to get rid of
parameters in Malta. That the
people who had the authority
to vote the parameters out,
would never be convinced.
Almost no one believed it could
be done. But we were young,
optimistic, driven and perhaps a
little naive. So we dug our heels
in, and stubbornly replied ‘You
just wait and see’.
In truth, it took a lot to get to
this point. A lot of planning.
A lot of strategizing. A lot of
hard work. A lot of help. After
the Bosman ruling shook the
football world 25 years ago,
giving way to more freedom
and rights for players, the
whole football world adapted.
FIFA updated its transfer rules
and principles. Which in turn
resulted in federations in all
corners of the world adapting
and changing their own rules.
It was an easier transition than
many had anticipated. But not
in Malta. For 25 years, Malta’s
football rules stubbornly defied
a court ruling by the European
Court of Human Rights, and
flagrantly contradicted deeply
entrenched principles of the
European Union, UEFA and
FIFA.
“It is not easy working for the union. We run into the wall
quite often but we just keep running until the wall breaks.”
Roy Vermeer - FIFPro Legal Director
The excuse was always the
same. Football in Malta is
different. It has particular needs
and must operate under specific
circumstances. And so for 25
years we operated under the
illusion that the ‘specific needs
of Maltese clubs’ must come
before established human
rights. And that limiting players’
developmental opportunities,
is somehow good for the
advancement of our sport.
We obviously disagreed, so
we set about advocating for
radical change. Because while
we were aware of the damage
this system was doing to local
football, we needed to make
everyone else aware too.
By Dr. Sihon Gauci
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Over the course of 8 years, we went on a
multifaceted campaign to abolish parameters. We
discussed the matter with high ranking officials
at MFA, but we knew that the power to effect the
change needed was largely held by clubs, who
held 70+% of the voting power. It was them we
needed to convince. A social dialogue committee
was set up and made up of representatives from
each division, MFA administrators and MFPA. The
parameters system, was at the forefront of the
agenda, but as years went by, and the desired
results seemed to be always postponed, we felt
the need to do more.
We met with the Prime Minister, leaders of
opposition, high ranking government officials, EU
commissioners, FIFA and UEFA officials and
discussed this problem. Everyone
agreed with us that this system
was in breach of EU principles
and fundamental human rights.
International colleagues were
shocked this was still happening in
Malta.
In parallel with all of this, a young
player had a dispute with a local
club and was being prevented from
registering as a player by MFA. With
our assistance, he filed a claim in
front of the Court of Arbitration for
Sport, which is the highest sport
adjudicating body in the world,
and won. This case, although not
directly linked to the parameters,
was a wake up call for the Maltese
federation and clubs. It became
more evident that Malta does not
operate in a football vacuum. That
international sporting rules apply,
and that breaches of said rules have
consequences.
It proved to be a turning point.
Clubs woke up to the reality that the
parameters had to go. But even then,
it was not to be a smooth sailing
ride. As months and years went on,
MFPA was promised the removal of
the parameters multiple times, each
time the needed vote postponed for
one reason or another. In the end,
with the assistance of FIFPro, FIFA
sent MFA an official letter obliging
the Maltese federation to remove
the illicit transfer system within a
set deadline. In June, the Council
unanimously voted for the removal,
marking a historical day for local
football and an emotional victory for
MFPA.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that professional football
players in Malta are entitled to at least
6 months of paid injury leave, if they are
injured in their line of duty?
But this is not the end. I heard someone say,
MFPA needs to figure out what to do with
its time now that the parameters have been
removed. Truth is, parameters have always
just been the starting point. The removal
of them was crucial for what MFPA really
dream of achieving.
MFPA dreams of a day when football
becomes a healthy financially viable
career for players in Malta.
MFPA dreams of a day when our players
compete in clubs who hold high standings
in European competitions.
MFPA dreams of a day when outstanding
salaries, and disputes between players
and clubs are a thing of the past.
These are MFPA’s ultimate goals, and there
are still many years of catching up to do.
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COVID-19 TURNING OUR
WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
At the same time, FIFA was encouraging
federations and player unions to try to
reach a collective agreement. This would
cater for all players and avoid individual
legal disputes. MFPA drafted a number
of proposed agreements, but these were
refuted by the clubs, who in turn presented
their own. Unfortunately, MFPA could
not accept the terms being proposed by
the clubs, since it was felt that what was
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being proposed would severely shackle all
players in Malta. Thus, discussions broke
down without a collective agreement being
reached. What this meant was that, all the
contractual disputes of hundreds of players
had to be fought individually.
In parallel with all the legal challenges,
MFPA started working on different projects
to help players deal with this stressful
situation, namely;
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3
A year ago, the reality of what 2020 has
turned out to be would have shocked
anyone. No one would have believed that
the entire world would be struggling to
cope with a dangerous virus that killed
millions worldwide. That we would have to
keep our distance from each other, and wear
a mask to stay safe. This, after all, is the stuff
of movies.
As soon as the virus reached our shores,
MFPA became inundated with players
seeking out our help. At first the biggest
issue was the fear of transmission during
matches and training sessions. Later, when
it was announced that football would
be suspended, the problem became the
contractual uncertainty of players whose
livelihood depended on football. Some
players were being told their contract
would be unilaterally terminated without
pay. This of course, was not true. One party
in a contract can’t force the other to accept
changes in contractual conditions. Other
players were being told that they would not
be paid for the whole duration of the contract.
This was hugely problematic especially
for full-time players, who were facing five
months (March-July) without income. Then
there were non-Maltese players who were
being evicted out of club accommodation,
in the middle of a pandemic, or forced to
travel back to their country, when travel was
deemed dangerous.
To help players stay fit, a 7-day home
individual training programme was
designed by UEFA Pro License
Coach Paul Zammit and Strength
and Conditioning coach Karl Attard.
Haley Bugeja and Andrea Zammit
provided these programmes on
video demonstrations. Following
this, a series of 40 minute home
workouts were designed and
performed by physical trainer
Gregory Degabriele.
Players were given a nutritional
programme developed purposefully
for football players trying to stay fit
and healthy during a pause from
traditional training.
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A financial aid package was
launched for players who
were being evicted from club
accommodation.
Covid-19 Prevention kits, which
included masks, hand sanitizer and
a contactless thermometer, were
distributed to clubs and nurseries.
5
MFPA encouraged players to
seek the help of mental health
specialists to deal with stress and
anxiety, offering to cover costs for
one-to-one sessions with sport
psychologist Dr. Adele Muscat.
6
A commitment to cover costs for
ECG testing for member players
who tested positive for Covid-19
was made.
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Player Zone 2021
Throughout this pandemic, MFPA’s resources
have been strained. But despite the huge
influx of workload, we remain committed
to helping any player who seeks our help.
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s
that we are inextricably connected to each
other. Each and every one of us, part of a
chain that connects every individual, every
business, every sector. Even football. And
while the fight against Covid-19 mandates
social distancing, MFPA promises to never
let any player feel alone.
DID YOU KNOW?
That MFPA and MFA have agreed on a minimum standard contract that
should apply across the board? Professional players should never
accept a contract that has worse conditions. If in doubt the MFPA legal
team can review your proposed contract BEFORE it is signed. Contracts
may be uploaded online on the new MFPA Members Platform.
WHAT MFPA HAS BEEN UP TO IN 2020
It is fair to say that in 2020
most of our human resources
were consumed by work
and projects in relation to
Covid-19. More details on
this can be found in the
article ‘Covid-19 turning our
world upside down’ in this
same publication. But that is
not all we have done.
Apart from also producing
a virtual MFPA Awards
event and launching the
Red Button App in Malta,
MFPA also embarked on
an ambitious project that
simultaneously expanded
the number of services
offered to members, whilst
modernising the systems by
which members can access.
At a time where human
interaction needed to be
kept to a minimum for
the health and safety of
everyone, MFPA digitalised
its membership system.
Players now become
members by signing up
online. Once membership is
paid, a digital membership
card is available. This gives
players access to various
discounts. Players also have
access to a digital platform
which facilitates their
requests for assistance from
MFPA. They can now ask
the players’ union for help
getting copies of contracts
and other important
documents. They can also
request unique codes for
the Red Button App, seek tax
related assistance, as well as
vote online for the awards,
and ask for substance
related assurances from
medical experts. All at the
tip of a finger.
Moreover, MFPA also
assisted multiple players
with the drafting and/or
reviewing of contracts and
in legal disputes, whilst also
carrying out two external
audits.
All in all 2020 was hectic
but productive. We are
hopeful 2021 can be just
as productive, and overall
better.
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NUTRITIONAL IMPLICATIONS ON
THE RETURN TO COMPETITIVE
FOOTBALL AFTER AN INJURY
By Dr. Dorianne Caruana Bonnici
When a player gets injured, it is first and
foremost a psychological blow. Doubts about
the severity of the injury, time to treatment/
surgery and recovery are constant worries
for the football player, whose main aim is
to get back in shape to be re-instated with
the team as early as possible. The longer
the time to diagnosis and treatment of the
sustained injury, the more complicated the
whole spectrum gets. It may be complex for
the player to get to the pre-injury state both
psychologically and physiologically. Hence,
the correct management of the injury by the
medical staff and the professional approach
of the football player in the process of the
recovery are considered as a fundamental
contribution to career continuum.
In such process, one of
the most overlooked
aspect during injury
recovery is nutrition.
It is a well-known fact
that a football player
needs to adopt a diet
that provides the right
fuel for performance, but
when the player is injured
the strategy needs to
change. Changes in body
composition during injury
typically involve general
increased body fat and
decreased lean mass
(Peterson et al., 2011).
During a long period of
injury an overall decrease
in lean mass is noted, with
more marked changes in
muscle atrophy and fat
deposition in the injured
region or segment (Reinke
et al., 2009).
This is usually a hard feat
for players, who must not
only cope with the stresses
of the injury which is usually
accompanied with feelings of
boredom and nervousness, but
also be super attentive of their
nutritional intake at this phase.
Many times, as a psychological
response, players will start
snacking uncontrollably,
missing out on proper
nutritious meals which will
hinder the recovery process,
especially if a surgery was
involved. As a matter of fact,
body composition would have
been compromised at this time,
with the player now facing a
real threat of never regaining
his pre-injury form. This puts
an emphasis on the importance
of timely and appropriate
nutritional interventions that
must be coordinated with
the different phases of the
recovery process to optimize
the healing process.
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As a Football Nutrition Specialist, I suggest this three-step strategy to follow when a player
gets injured:
Body composition
must be assessed
at the time of injury,
specifically, total
body mass, lean
mass and fat mass.
A personalised
nutritional plan
must be created/
adjusted to meet
the new injury state
demands.
A continuous
monitoring of body
composition parameters
with re-adjustments
to the personalised
nutrition plan as
necessary, depending on
the player’s needs.
I also suggest these take-home tips:
It is really and truly a question of energy
balance, that is energy intake versus energy
expenditure. Now that the player is injured,
football training is not on and while the
player may and is encouraged to continue
training remotely on the uninjured areas,
the energy burnt would be considerably
less than that of standard football training
session. This means the player is burning
less calories in a day, and hence unless
the player consumes less calories to match
the reduced energy expenditure, energy
balance would not be achieved. This will
result in an energy surplus. That surplus
will be deposited as fat in the body which
then alters the players’ body composition
and body fat levels. In terms of research, it
has been found that, following ten days of
immobilisation due to the sustained injury,
around 15rrr 0 g of muscle mass is lost per
day, equivalent to 1 kg/ week, with type II
muscle fibres being the most susceptible to
atrophy (Wall & van Loon, 2013).
In terms of nutritional quality, the
macronutrient focus at this injured state
is protein, which is vital to prevent muscle
atrophy (Perrone et al., 2011). Such protein
should be largely plant-based and should
still never exceed the daily recommended
amounts which in the case of the football
player should be no more than 1.8g of
protein per kilogram of body mass. A 70kg
player would hence not need more than
126g of protein in a day which is easily
consumed from a balanced intake of a
variety of common food sources, without
the need of any form of supplementation.
While too many players tend to resort to
supplements to counteract the protein
loss, my suggestion as a Football Nutrition
Specialist, is always to opt for natural food
sources. As much as 3g of leucine a day
is capable of activating muscle protein
synthesis, and this can be taken in the form
of 140g of chicken or 170g of fish. Moreover,
the ingestion of 4 g/day of omega 3 fatty
acids may act synergistically with leucine,
increasing protein synthesis (Smith et al.,
2011). Having said this, further research is
needed before its use can be recommended,
especially in consideration for the injured
football player (Molfino et al., 2013)
Stock on low calorie
foods – this will allow
you to satisfy your
hunger by increasing
the quantity in terms
of food volume, but
keeping those calories
within limits.
Get moving – put your
energy expenditure
up in any other way by
focusing your training
on the uninjured and
functioning parts of
the body.
Stop mindless snacking
– do not buy anything
that is fattening and
sugary that is easily
within reach – these
will increase your daily
intake sharply risking
an energy surplus at
the end of the day
which will contribute
to fat disposition.
Always seek
professional help –
there are many selfproclaimed
unqualified
professionals in the
field out there, which
typically do more harm
than good.
Acknowledge your
main ‘savoury snacks’
culprits and eliminate
them responsibly.
Plan ahead - your
shopping, your meals:
they all need time to
get them right.
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Photo by Domenic Aquilina
THEY
DESERVE
BETTER
on Women’s football
in Malta
By Dr. Sihon Gauci
DID YOU KNOW?
That a player has 1 year to file a claim
for a financial dispute against a
club? After 1 year the claim will be
prescribed and the Complaints Board
may refuse to hear it.
As we rightfully celebrate the success
of our female players, we must also
remember the overwhelming adversity
and disadvantages that they face, to
bring home these results. Our female
players dedicate a huge chunk of their
lives to a sport that is treating them like
second class citizens.
In a country based on democratic
principles, that promotes equality and is
against discrimination, it is shocking to
me, that we somehow seem to accept,
or be totally indifferent to the fact that
there is no where near, equal treatment
between our male and female athletes.
Female players:
do not have the possibility to make a living off of
football.
have no protection if injured in the line of duty.
are scheduled to play/train at less convenient hours.
are forced to play/train in inferior pitches.
are not given special leave to represent their
country internationally, but use their own personal
time off.
Moreover, women’s football sees very little financial
investment. Without which, women’s football
will not be able to develop and advance. Whilst
currently our female players are bringing home
positive results, we must understand that this is
‘despite of’ and not ‘because of’ the current systems
they operate in. Their success is due only to their
individual capabilities and strengths. They, together
with the coaching staff, are doing miracles with
what they are given.
We are at a moment in history when women’s
football around the globe is on the rise. Not only
the level of played football, but also the attention
and interest it is getting from fans around the world.
It is amply clear that women’s football is capable
of being a very lucrative industry. If we want the
chance to try to keep up with the fast paced rise
of our international counterparts, this right here is
the time to invest in our women. If we don’t we will
unavoidably lag behind.
And whilst it is nice to see public figures,
congratulating our athletes on social media, and
recognising their successes, with all due respect,
we can do better. They deserve better. What our
players need is support, investment, equal and fair
treatment. This is the only way to ensure consistent
positive results in the years to come.
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Player Zone 2021
Why the Red
Button App can be
a game changer in
the fight against
Match Fixing
Match fixing is one of the biggest threats facing our sport today. Players should always
refuse to participate in any and all types of match fixing, for a multitude of reasons, namely:
It is Illegal.
Criminal charges may be
brought against the player,
with legal consequences if
found guilty.
Apart from refusing to participate, players
must also report the approach immediately.
Failure to do so may also result in heavy
sporting sanctions. Whilst MFPA is
wholeheartedly against match fixing, it also
understands that reporting an approach
may not be as straightforward as some
people may think. Fear of retribution is
a reality amongst players. Some may be
afraid that reporting may draw the wrath
of the person who approached them onto
themselves and their families, and would
rather face sporting sanctions.
With this in mind, MFPA set about trying
to help players do the right thing for
themselves and their sport. Research as
well as consultation with players and
stakeholders, led MFPA to the conclusion
that an ‘anonymous reporting mechanism’
would go a long way at alleviating
Player Zone 2021
these fears. Since 2012, FIFPro has been
developing the ‘Red Button App’, with this
exact aim in mind. This web application
was developed in Finland and built by
a company which makes high-security
software for banks. The app was tested by
Interpol who deemed it as the best there is.
This year, MFPA has brought the Red Button
App to Malta. Licensing expenses are
completely covered by FIFPro. Now, MFPA
members can request a unique code, which
allows them to access the web-app. Codes
are randomly assigned, and there is no way
to link a code to the player. Via this web-app
the player can submit an anonymous report
which is completely untraceable.
With the co-operation of players, the ‘Red
Button App’ can be a crucial tool in the fight
against match fixing.
Refusing is the right thing
to do.
Participating will aid
criminal organisations.
The player risks huge
sporting sanctions that will
probably end his/her career.
Participating will directly
harm the sport that
billions of people love.
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GARETH
SCIBERRAS
SOMETHING
ABOUT US!
Gareth made his senior team debut with Pieta
Hotspurs FC at the age of 17. In an illustrious
football career that spans over 17 years in the
local top division, he won multiple premiership
titles with Marsaxlokk and Birkirkara as well as
an FA Trophy and 2 Super Cups with the latter. He
also made history as captain of a Birkirkara side
that became the first ever Maltese club to move
to the third round of a European competition. He
has 52 caps for the National team.
Following his retirement from football, Gareth
remains active in the local football scene,
namely by being an active Executive member on
the MFPA board.
Player Zone 2021
facebook.com/maltafpa
www.maltafpa.com
twitter.com/maltafpa 27135505
Outside of football, Gareth is a Partner and Chief
Financial Officer at a local branding agency.
Malta Football
Players Association
MFPA,
Central Business Centre,
Tarxien Road,
Gudja - GDJ 1907
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