The Appeals board of the MFA has yesterday published its decision in regards to the Jurgen Borg versus Hibernians FC. The case which spans over the period of nearly three years even ended up in front of CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport).The Appeals Board decision, re-confimed what Hibernians FC has contended all along, that the player Jurgen Borg, unlawfully terminated his employment contract with the club, without just cause. This decision consolidates the one already given by the MFA Complaints Board. Although the Appeals Board did not agree to the amount of compensation due as calculated by the Complaints Board, it ordered Borg to pay to Hibernians a total of €13,172, with 5% interest per annum in damages to the club.
This vindicates the Club’s position who right from the start stated that the player had no right to terminate his employment contract. On the other hand, the MFPA, who defended the player, argued that the player was right to terminate the contract and that no damages should be paid to Hibernians. The Appeals Board has made it clear that it was this wrong advice given to the player by the MFPA which resulted in Jurgen Borg losing the case against Hibernians and be ordered to pay damages.
Hibernians fail to understand how the MFPA has published its statement yesterday claiming victory when it is clear from the judgment given that they have indeed provided a disservice to the player who now has to bear the brunt of the damages to be paid to Hibernians. This confirms that the MFPA, in its war against the parameters system, maliciously used a player as a guinea pig to launch an attack on the MFA Regulations, and this in spite of the fact that discussions between the MFPA, the MFA, and the clubs were already underway in the Social Dialogue Forum. The MFPA’s arrogance in the mentioned press release whereby they are depicting this decision as some kind of victory. The club reiterates, that this case was all about principals and honesty, a test in which MFPA once again failed miserably.
For Maltese football to succeed it is required that everybody pulls the same rope; the MFA, players, coaches, and the clubs. This attitude in recent weeks by the MFPA shows that the MFPA’s only interest is to demonize the clubs and even lead players to breach contracts just to justify the salary of those employed with the MFPA. This is no service to football.