Hamrun Spartans were declared BOV Premier League champions 2020/21 after the Executive Committee of the Malta Football Association confirmed that the league could not be completed.
All organised sport was suspended by the government on March 10 until April 11 as part of a number of measures to combat the then-record number of positive cases but while a number of other measures were lifted, the ban on sport activities was retained and there is no indication yet when these could resume.
The association had requested a return to training this week, in order to be able to complete the league in time by the June 1 deadline by UEFA to submit the names of the clubs participating in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
Amendments to regulations approved in August with regards to leagues being terminated due to force majeure, meant that, in case of a league which is terminated after clubs have played 75% of the matches, the classification shall be deemed final. If not, the league would be declared abandoned with no promotions or relegations.
Since Premier League clubs have played twenty three out of the scheduled thirty matches, Hamrun Spartans were declared champions while Hibernians, Gzira United and Birkirkara will take the three spots in the new UEFA Europa Conference League.
The Spartans, fresh from a 2-1 win over third-placed Gzira United and a 1-0 win over second-placed Hibernians in their last two league outings, were leading the table with 56 points, five ahead of the Paolites and ten ahead of the Maroons. They had the best attack with 56 goals and best defence, together with Hibernians, conceding just twenty goals.
This is the eighth title in the history of the club and the first in thirty years after claiming their last championship in 1990/91. They had earlier won the championship in seasons 1913/14, 1917/18, 1946/47, 1982/83, 1986/87 and 1987/88.
Photo: Hamrun Spartans
