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Lija AFC Questions Integrity Of Local Referees After Player Was ‘Unjustly’ Shown Red Card 

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Lija Athletic Football Club is questioning the integrity of local refereeing following an in-game feud that resulted in one of its players being sent off with a red card.

The football club believes that referees have unjustly targeted the club in what was a “clear and obvious” error that resulted in one of its players being penalised for what it claims was a “glaring mistake”. 

The club also uploaded a video of the incident as it unfolded and shows a player pushing and throwing punches before the fight is broken up. 

“This was the fourth glaring mistake this season against Lija. Amongst others, another player was sent off and goals were disallowed due to non-existent offsides, which cost us a lot of important points during this phase of the season,” Lija AFC continued.

As a result of the fight, both players were shown red cards and removed from the game. 

“The game of football deserves better. While mistakes are part of the game, the spirit of sports requires recognition of error, a philosophy that has entered European football and has increased with the advent of VAR, only in our country is this taboo.”

Lija AFC is now insisting that the officials amend the match report and reverse the decision to award its players a red card, asking instead that he be given a yellow card for his actions. 

“Lija AFC urges the Malta Football Association and the Disciplinary Commissioner to watch the video of the dismissal that took place in the game in order to verify for themselves that Lija’s player should be given a yellow card and never a red card,” it said.

“The Commissioner’s job is to do justice to what has happened and not to exercise discipline in the abstract. Lija AFC shall not pass the referee’s error on the matter of dismissal. Here we have a clear and obvious error.”

The club claims to have reached out to the Malta Football Association to remedy the situation, but claimed it received “no reaction, no acknowledgement of mistake and no steps against the referee.” “A glaring error like this should not continue in the hope of it being forgotten without a plea, nor should it be hidden behind the right of appeal, this is not an effective remedy.”

Lija AFC is also planning to bring forth a motion to amend the disciplinary rules so that victims of officiating mistakes are able to seek disciplinary actions within 24 hours of the incident.

“This will be proposed because an appeal doesn’t offer a remedy, and what’s worse, it offers it after a player would’ve spent at least one match suspended,” it ended.

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