Safety and protection of athletes are a priority at the SportMalta Charity Marathon on 6 th March. The
safety and protection of athletes is an absolute priority in the SportMalta Charity Marathon which is
being held in collaboration with Transport Malta. This was stated during a press conference in the
offices of Transport Malta by the Executive Chairman of Transport Malta Joseph Bugeja and the
Chief Executive Officer of SportMalta Mark Cutajar. This marathon will be held with the support of
Athletics Malta also since this is a competitive activity. The SportMalta Charity Marathon will take
place on March 6, 2022. Joseph Bugeja stated that he felt the need to hold two meetings with the
marathon organizers to discuss the need for minimum changes in the route, as has happened in
previous cases. Mr Bugeja explained that the request to the Authority to hold this competition at
national level was submitted only a few weeks ago. He said that in the face of such submissions, the
priority for the Authority would be to safeguard road safety, the safety of athletes, emergencies, and
the needs of public transport. He referred to the meeting held with the Traffic Management
Committee which includes all stakeholders including the Police, Civil Protection and the Department
of Health during which they approved the route of the SportMalta Charity Marathon. This same
route was suggested to the Malta Marathon organizer.

He said that was why it was decided that in collaboration with SportMalta and with respect to the
training of athletes, this marathon will continue with an effort between the two entities. SportMalta
Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutajar said that the aim of the entity is to facilitate sports activities
both nationally and internationally. He mentioned that he was in contact with the Malta Marathon
organizer to give his suggestions to the Health Authorities to change the protocols, which protocols
have been changed, but this too was not acceptable to the organizer. He said that together with the
organizer he had a meeting with Transport Malta, in which meeting the organizer did not accept the
proposed minimum changes. He mentioned that with the help of the associations and clubs
registered with SportMalta, a collective effort is being made to keep this marathon running
smoothly. He reiterated that SportMalta never enters competition with associations and individuals
but rather incentivizes them through a fund of half a million euros to attract sports activities to our
country. Both entities have invited everyone who wants to contribute to come forward, including
the organizer of the Malta Marathon, so that March 6 will once again be a celebration of sport and
national unity. The route that the athletes will take along with the registration application will be
published in the next few hours.

The Hal Far Model Flying Association will be relocated, according to Minister for Education and Sport
Clifton Grima and Minister for Economy and Industry Silvio Schembri.
The €20 million motor racetrack will be built on the property that is currently utilized by the association.
Indis Malta Ltd, SportMalta, the Lands Authority, and the HFMFA have all signed an agreement. Luciano
Busuttil, Chairman of SportMalta, commented on the teamwork between all parties involved, including
ministries and entities, in reaching this agreement that allows the Association to continue to perform its
sport.

The Minister of Sport has declared that the HFMFA’s headquarters and activities will be relocated to a
new facility within the Hal Far zone. The buildings were no longer ideal or adequate to carry out the
club’s activities as requested by the members due to developments around the current site. The sport
organization will now be able to carry out its activities and maybe organize international events related to
this activity as a result of the new buildings and facilities.

On the Public Holiday of St. Paul, at the Cottonera Sports Complex, athletes, coaches and officials along
with walk-ins donated blood. Throughout the year, the Blood Donation Mobile Unit travels to various
locations and places of work. This makes it easier and more appealing to recruit new blood donors,
especially those with limited free time. The mobile unit gathers around 3000 units of blood per year and
has established itself as a vital supplier of blood.

The event took place at 10am till 1pm where throughout the event over 40 individuals from different
paths of life came together to help out those in need. To each individual that came to donate blood, a
small token was given as a thank you which consisted of a mug and stress ball which was used during
the process of donating blood.

As always SportMalta is satisfied after another successful event and looks forward to organising more
events for the community and helping out different parts of our social groups.

SportMalta helped in the organisation of an event organised by Debbie Tully at the National Pool Tal-Qroqq on the 5^th of December in aid of Malta Hospice Movement through the sport of Water polo. During the event the sum of 1,500 euro was collected and was presented to Hospice Malta by the CEO of SportMalta Mark Cutajar and organiser Debbie Tully. A massive thank you goes out to those who donated and took part in this event.

The Games of the Small States of Europe, the biennial multisport event, will be returning
to Malta in 2023, two decades after it was last hosted on our island.
This was officially announced by The Minister for Education and Sport, the Maltese
Olympic Committee and SportMalta earlier on today at Cottonera Sport Complex.
The launch took place in a hybrid format and welcomed several Maltese medallists from
the 1993 and 2003 editions. Joining the event virtually were GSSE Member States’
Presidents and Chefs de Mission.

The GSSE feature a core of six individual sports and two team sports. Each organising
committee may add a maximum of two other Olympic sports or one Olympic Sport and
one non-Olympic Sport.

Maltese Olympic Committee President and Games Chairperson Mr Julian Pace Bonello
explained that preparations for this sporting bonanza are well underway. “The Maltese
Olympic Committee has been working even more closely with involved Federations,
ensuring the require support is given and that preparations proceed as smoothly as
possible. We hope that these Games will make the country proud, in both the way they
will be organized as well as the results achieved and will also serve as a catalyst to
inspire up and coming athletes to keep working hard for their dreams”
In 2023, Malta will be presenting a sports programme which includes Athletics,
Basketball, Judo, Rugby 7’s, Sailing, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Table tennis,
Tennis.

“The Maltese Olympic Committee, SportMalta and the Ministry of Education and Sport
are working in perfect synergy towards this event. A local organising committee was
chosen and besides sport experts, there are experts in various fields that will ensure that
the Games will be a success. In the months to come we will engage with the public so
that the Games will not only will be for athletes and officials taking part but for the society
at large” remarked, Mark Cutajar, GSSE Organising Committee Chairperson.

The Maltese Olympic Committee also announced that it will shortly be launching a
Games’ Mascot and Logo Design competition. The competition calls for the design of a
logo and mascot that will be used as part of the Games of the Small States of Europe
branding.

Closing the event was the Minister for Education and Sport, Dr Clifton Grima who said
that “Government is really proud to support the Maltese Olympic Committee in these
Games. We invested both in infrastructure to increase the number of high-level venues,
but for the first time we also invested in human resources. €5m million was passed to
SportMalta to facilitate the training of athletes, engaging professional coaches and their
sport entourage” Grima concluded by saying that he looks forward to enter in
discussions with his counterparts in the other eight countries for sport in small states to
flourish further.

The Games of the Small States of Europe will take place between the 28th May and June 3rd 2023.

The building known as the 1903 Building in Marsa was completely restored with an investment of half a
million euro by Sport Malta. “Marsa will be a centre of the highest level for all those who not only practice
the sport, but for those who follow the sport as spectators,” says Clifton Grima, the minister for education
and sport. The project involved the restoration of all the structures of the historic building, which was built
by the British in 1903 and had the function of a clubhouse for British service officers.

The Marsa Sports Complex and its surroundings are being transformed into a world-class sports hub,
said Minister Grima. The minister also said that the work of the ministry in the field of sports goes beyond
the improvement of the direct sports facilities. The building has been extensively restored to preserve
part of our history, and also to use it for the benefit of sport. Mark Cutajar, Chief Executive Officer of
SportMalta, gave details of the project, saying that the ongoing work on four areas will make Marsa a top
quality and international sports hub.

As the internal finishing of the Marsa Sports Complex is completed, it will be used for the sports
community. Work in progress includes the construction of a new gym, which will include a squash centre,
weightlifting centre, fitness gym and netball courts, as well as extensive work on the track which will be of
international state.

Sports Minister Clifton Grima thanked SportMalta for its work, dedication and commitment in this sector.
Luciano Busuttil said that it is Sportmalta’s mission to raise the level of sport, not only through the
opportunities that are being given to athletes, but with the improvement of sports infrastructure.

At the Cottonera Sports Complex work has is well underway, the project has now entered its third and
final phase, following substantial works on the location where Cottonera’s first Olympic size indoor pool
will be built in preparation for the upcoming Games of the Small States of Europe 2023.

During a recent visit to the site, Minister for Sport and Education Clifton Grima said, that this is another
project that is now being carried out and that reflects the Government’s commitment to strengthening the
athletic infrastructure in Malta.

The Minister of Education and Sport, Clifton Grima revealed that, following the completion of the site’s
excavation, work on the pool and public stands, which will cost €14 million, has begun and works are in
progress.

Mark Cutajar, Chief Executive Officer SportMalta, said that the indoor pool, through its versatility, will
cater for different abilities and will also serve as a respite for the load on other athletic pools. This pool
will cater for all neighbouring schools and will also upgrade the standards of the inner harbour area.

After announcing details of a €3 million investment to upgrade the Athletics Stadium in Marsa to an
international level, we are seeing another project today that will boost aquatic sport in Malta and continue
to grow our facilities to help local athletes achieve the highest level possible.

Between the 13th and 18th of May, almost a thousand athletes from twenty-five different countries will
come to our country to take part in the Special Olympics Invitational Games. The President of Special
Olympics Malta, the wife of the Prime Minister Dr Lydia Abela said how the preparations for these
International Games are going well and now everything is in the final stage.

SportMalta CEO, Mark Cutajar, explained how this is an opportunity to grow as a society to prepare for
an event that will go down in the history of Malta. Minister Clifton Grima spoke about the importance of
the connection between this sporting event and education. Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli spoke about
the inclusivity and unity between associations and individuals for such an event to be a success.

In a few words from the Special Olympics President of Europe, David Evangelista, explained how
impressed and pleased he was with the work being done by a number of volunteers who have joined
Special Olympics to ensure that these games be celebrations of inclusivity here in Malta.

During these Games there will be six different sports disciplines, which will take place in the facilities of
SportMalta in Marsa and Tal-Qroqq. These are athletics, bowling, table-tennis, swimming, bocce and
football.

On Boxing Day, the L-Istrina yearly event took place at the Kirkop Sport Complex. It’s an annual event where everyone pitches in to make sure that individuals whose livelihoods could benefit from financial support get the help they need. The 26th edition of Istrina, has concluded, with a total of €5,845,000 raised for people in need. During this event CEO of SportMalta, Mark Cutajar presented the incredible sum that was gathered during the Fun Run held around various localities in Malta and Gozo in November.

During the Fun Run 2021, BeActive – SportMalta contributed a record amount of €277,000 to L-Istrina. Another goal achieved in an outstanding year. Istrina 2022 will give €5,845,000 to persons and families who need all of our aid, which is just another example of the Maltese and Gozitan people’s compassion. SportMalta would like to express its gratitude to everyone who helped make this event a success.

On behalf of Chairman Luciano Busuttil , Board of Directors , CEO Mark Cutajar and all employees at SportMalta, we congratulate Hon Clifton Grima for his appointment as Minister for Education and Sport