MFA President’s ‘Rest in Peace’

As the start of summer, MFA President Bjorn Vassallo sent a threatening text message to a sports journalist, which ended with the words “rest in peace”.  Why? Simply because the sports journalists had the temerity of criticising Vassallo in comments uploaded on social media. Despite widespread criticism, little to no action has been taken.

Everybody knows what a text message ending “rest in peace” means.  In a country that experienced the barbaric dismemberment of another journalist for her work, it is deeply disturbing to witness the MFA bullying and intimidating journalists simply for expressing their opinion.

In any civilised country, Vassallo would be toast by now.  He would have been compelled to issue a public apology and forced to resign.  But this is Malta.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) and the Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA) issued a statement in support of the sports journalist and his colleagues who were subjected to Vassallo’s attacks.

Sports journalists Antvin Monseigneur, Christopher Francalanza and Charles Camenzuli, together with  Sportswriters Association president Sandro Micallef, had simply commented on a Facebook post over a call issued by the MFA for volunteer photographers.  Sports portal Maltasport picked this up and reported on their comments.  And the MFA President went berserk.

Vassallo probably thinks this is North Korea.  He wanted to punish those sports journalists for daring to criticise him.  He abused his position to intimidate and bully them.  He wrote an offensive right of reply in Maltese and a milder version in English (probably intended for foreign consumption), to Maltasport.

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IGM and MSJA said in their joint statement that a right of reply “is not a space to attack or bully journalists”. Vassallo’s Maltese version of the right of reply, personally attacked three of those journalists.

The IGM and MSJA rightly pointed out that those journalists had simply exercised their right to free speech.  They made no contribution whatsoever to Maltasport’s article.  But it seems Vassallo is policing social media.

Vassallo even wrote to AIMS Chair Antonio Mizzi, where two of those journalists are employed, vindictively “reporting” them for their “behaviour”. His despicable reaction had only one intention – to put those journalists who dared criticise him in a bad light with their employer.

Vassallo was making it clear that anybody who publicly criticises him will become a target and that he, the MFA president, will go to any length to hurt them, even jeopardising their employment and primary source of income.

Even more damning was Vassallo’s inappropriate text message sent privately to one of those journalists.  The IGM and MSJA politely called out his utterly inappropriate message: “Rest in Peace” (Strieh fil-paci). That is clearly a threat.

If it wasn’t intended as such, Vassallo should have issued a clarification, if not a public apology.  But why would he?  It’s not like he’s been forced to resign.  It’s not like he’ll be held accountable for his vicious pettiness and abuse of power.

The two associations expressed their ”hope” that MFA will retract that section of the right of reply that “singles out” those journalists.  They appealed to the MFA president to be “more responsible in the future when responding to criticism”.  That’s hardly going to happen, judging by Vassallo’s history.

Vassallo has a serious grudge against Antvin Monseigneur.  The investigative journalist uncovered a shocking youth football transfer scandal that shook Maltese football. Monseigneur’s work exposed a pattern of coercion, exploitation and unethical demands placed on families of footballers as young as 12 to control their movement between clubs.

Vassallo’s MFA buried that scandal beneath bureaucratic silence.  Only Monseigneur’s tireless reporting led to action. Monseigneur presented leaked chat logs, contracts and first-hand accounts from parents revealing how football clubs demanded cash payments to release children from their contracts, a practice prohibited by local football regulations.

One family told investigators they were asked to pay €5,000 for their son to be allowed to move to another club, even though he barely played in the whole season. Contracts with the signatures of club presidents and secretaries signed on behalf of minors were exposed.

Monseigneur confronted the MFA President live, presenting him with evidence of the systemic abuse of child footballers.  That encounter forced Vassallo to acknowledge that scandal.  Despite previous denials, Vassallo was forced to admit that several complaints about the issue were received.

In fact, those complaints reached the complaints board at Vassallo’s MFA, but little to no action was taken.  When the MFA refused to intervene in a landmark case involving a 14-year-old player, the Court of Arbitration for Sport became involved.

Monseigneur’s work, together with mounting pressure from the media and other stakeholders, forced the MFA to reach an agreement with the MFPA and club representatives to reform the system. Monseigneur welcomed the change and commented that “this agreement proves the power of journalism in protecting young people and holding institutions accountable – this is a win for journalistic truth”.

Vassallo wasn’t pleased. He’s clearly not forgotten his humiliation. He certainly hasn’t forgiven Monseigneur.  In his blind rage to seek revenge, Vassallo is abusing his position at the MFA and resorting to disgraceful tactics. His actions constitute a violation of FIFA’s code of ethics.

He’s violated MFA’s own code of ethics (https://cms.mfa.com.mt/media/11324/16-section-xvi-_-code-of-ethics-27052021.pdf). Article 2.2 relates to “integrity” and demands that all members of the MFA “shall consistently align their conduct to the highest standards in public life”.

Article 2.9 “Respect”, dictates that “they shall treat each and every person with whom they engage in any manner with utmost respect”.  An MFA President cannot violate his own association’s rules and retain his position.

At least, Vassallo should face disciplinary procedures. In truth, his position should be untenable – but who cares?