Several members of the Malta men’s national water polo team are reportedly under investigation over allegations of betting on their own matches during the European Championships in Belgrade, according to a report by Times of Malta.
The Maltese outlet reports that a number of players — believed to be around four — are suspected of having placed bets related to the goal difference in Malta’s opening match of the tournament against Montenegro, played last Saturday.
Sources cited by Times of Malta claim the players allegedly bet on the final score margin of the match and are suspected of attempting to influence the outcome in order to meet the conditions of those bets. Malta went on to lose the match 21–12.
At this stage, the Montenegro encounter is reportedly the only match under investigation. However, sources indicated that Malta’s subsequent fixture against France could also come under scrutiny should further information emerge.
If substantiated, the allegations would represent a significant setback for Maltese water polo, particularly at a time when the sport has been gaining greater visibility and credibility on the international stage.
Malta are competing at the men’s European Water Polo Championships in Serbia, a special edition marking the tournament’s 100-year anniversary. The competition, running from January 10 to 25, features 16 of Europe’s leading national teams, including traditional powerhouses such as Spain and Hungary. For Malta, participation in the tournament was intended to serve as a benchmark for the national programme’s progress.
Times of Malta reports that the case is being investigated by the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports (AIMS). When contacted, the authority stated that it could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation. The Malta police similarly declined to comment.
ASA president Karl Izzo told Times of Malta that no official report had been filed with the Aquatic Sports Association but expressed hope that the allegations were unfounded.
“God forbid they are true, because that would tarnish the hard work that the association has done to push the sport forward over the past years,” Izzo said.
According to Times of Malta, this would be the third high-profile case in the past two decades involving Maltese national teams and match-fixing or betting investigations. In 2011, Malta’s senior football team was linked to a betting scandal involving a Euro 2008 qualifier against Norway, while in 2016 six Malta Under-21 footballers were banned by UEFA after being found guilty of influencing European Championship qualifying matches.
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