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Teams at UEFA U-19 tournament attend integrity presentations

Published: 28-11-2018 15:40
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The players forming part of the Under-19 squads of Malta, Belgium, France and Lithuania attended a match-fixing prevention session during the 2019 UEFA Under-19 Championship Qualifying Mini-Tournament (Group 6), held between November 14 and 20 at the Centenary Stadium. Franz Tabone, the Malta FA Integrity Officer, delivered the presentations at the tournament hotel as part of UEFA’s campaign to raise further awareness about the perils of match-fixing. Integrity Officers of the host association, in this case the Malta FA, are requested by UEFA to conduct a match-fixing prevention session for each of the participating teams at mini-tournaments. “These mini-tournaments provide an ideal opportunity to explain the dangers of match-fixing to young players and the accompanying coaches and officials, while showing them how help is at hand,” Tabone said. The Integrity Officer delivers the UEFA-produced presentation, entitled ‘What you need to know about match-fixing because we want to protect you…' in the English language assisted by translators if required. INTEGRITY SESSIONSMeanwhile, the Malta FA’s campaign to increase awareness about the match-fixing threat has continued unabated over the past months. Following the completion of the 2018 Malta FA Integrity Tour, whereby all the clubs affiliated with the Malta FA took part in information sessions focusing on the Criminal Law and the MFA regulations on corruption and illegal betting, Tabone has been holding further football integrity sessions at different entities. Sessions have been held at the Malta FA offices, aimed at making the Association employees and administrative staff aware of the messages being emphasised at local football clubs and other organisations, the Malta FA Technical Centre – for coaches following the UEFA A Licence Course, Gozitan clubs Victoria Hotspurs and Oratory Youths, and Sports Law students at the University of Malta. For the first time, the Malta FA Integrity Tour sessions will be held at all Gozitan clubs.