Waterpolo Player Barred From Training With Teammates And Benched For Refusing To Prematurely Renew Contract
A complaint was filed against the Neptunes WPSC, last October, by a player who accused the club of “harassing” him to renew a contract that was not yet expired.
The player, 18-year-old Dean Bugeja, has been a centre-man for Malta’s national team for three years and represented the country in several Under-19 European Championships.
In a complaint submitted to the president of the Aquatic Sports Association (ASA) through his lawyer, Anthony Galea, Bugeja claimed that despite his contract running until 2025, he had been pressured by the club over the past two years to extend it for another four years. When Bugeja declined to sign prematurely, a heated dispute allegedly ensued with team manager Rainer Scerri.
The player, as uncertain in the moment, refused to sign any contracts prematurely, which allegedly sparked a heated debate with team manager, Rainer Scerri.
As a result, Bugeja was barred from training with his peers, relegated to training with much younger players, excluded from the senior team group chat (where training schedules were posted), and ultimately benched for the winter league.
Bugeja further claimed the treatment to be “unacceptable”, stating he was being “threatened, bullied and harassed unless he signed a new contract.”
Following the complaint, the Disciplinary Commissioner issued an “Interim Decision” on 12th October, allowing Bugeja to resume training with the senior team pending an official decision.
A hearing held on 24th October, saw the attendance of Buġeja, his lawyer, club president Matthew Bonello and manager Rainer Scerri who were legally represented by Adrian Delia.
Delia argued that the complaint was improperly addressed to the ASA president rather than the disciplinary board, thus the requests could not be properly reviewed, hence the commissioner would be acting against regulations, overall nullifying the case.
After thorough review, the Disciplinary Commissioner ruled that the Interim Decision would become permanent, as the player’s refusal of a premature renewal “is his right.” The decision allowed Buġeja to continue training with the senior team and access all player benefits.
Although the club was found to have exhibited “unacceptable behaviour,” it was cleared of disciplinary charges, as the treatment conducted did not breach any regulations.
What do you make of this case?
READ NEXT: Celebrate A Decade Of Humanitarian Missions With The 'Ten Years Of Heroes - The Moas Chronicles' Comic Book
