ASA launches integrity probe into waterpolo betting allegations after securing MGA report
The Aquatic Sports Association of Malta (ASA) said Wednesday it has launched an investigation into potential integrity breaches involving a number of national waterpolo players, after formally securing access to a Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) report linked to the case.
In a statement, the ASA said that, as of close of business on Tuesday, it had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the MGA, through which it was granted access to the regulator’s report on the matter.
The association said the agreement follows the recent appointment of an Integrity Officer within the ASA, who in recent weeks moved swiftly to establish direct cooperation channels with the MGA.
The ASA confirmed that the investigation is now underway and is being handled by its Integrity Office “in accordance with established regulatory procedures and with full operational independence”.
It stressed that, in line with good governance principles, the Integrity Office acts independently from both the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports (AIMS) and the ASA administration. The office is also in contact with the MGA, European Aquatics and World Aquatics to ensure coordination throughout the process.
At this preliminary stage, the ASA said that, based on the information currently available from the MGA report, the initial view does not suggest any match-fixing or deliberate attempts to manipulate competition outcomes.
“Some betting activity has been identified among certain individuals which do constitute breaches, but the conduct observed does not appear to constitute match-fixing,” the ASA said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing and the Integrity Office will continue to assess the matter carefully.
The association said it remains committed to upholding “the highest standards of integrity within aquatic sports” and warned that any conduct which may compromise the fairness and credibility of competition will be treated with the utmost seriousness.
It also said no further comment would be made at this stage in order to safeguard the integrity of the ongoing process.
Among those identified are understood to be six national-team players, alongside other individuals linked to clubs and a youth coach. The players are said to be connected to a number of clubs, mainly San Ġiljan and Sliema, according to Times of Malta.
The scandal emerged during Malta’s participation in the European Championships in Serbia last January.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Times said the police have not, at this stage, identified grounds for criminal prosecution.
Under ASA rules, athletes, officials and club-affiliated individuals are prohibited from betting on competitions organised under the association’s aegis, with breaches carrying suspensions of between one and three years.
At international level, European Aquatics regulations provide for stricter sanctions, including bans of between two and four years, and potentially lifetime suspensions in the most serious cases.
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