B’investiment ta` zewg miljun Ewro, Is-Sibt l-ewwel ta’ dicembru gie inawgurat il-kumpless tal-futbol f’Birzebbuga.  Progett li kien gie imwieghed mill-Gvern fl-2013 u wara snin ta` xoghol finalment tlesta.

Il-Ftuh ta` dan il-kumpless sar mill-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat li kien akkumpanjat mis-Segretarju Parlamentari ghal-Isport Clifton Grima kif ukoll diversi Ministri, deputati u anke mill-Kumissarju Ewropew Karmenu Vella, li ghex ghal snin twal fil-lokalita.

Fi diskors tieghu il-Prim Ministru qal li fi ftit zmien il-Gvern investa kwazi 5 miljun Ewro f’din il-lokalita, wara li xhur ilhu tlestiet il-Pixxina.  Dan qal Il-Prim Ministru qed ssir mhux ghax hemm preferenza mill-lokal ghal iehor izda sabiex jikkumpensa ghal inkonvenjent li ic-cittadini ta` dan il-lokal ghandhom bil-freeport li huwa essenzjali ghal pajjiz kollhu.

Il-Kumpless huwa mghammar b’dak kollhu li ghanda bzonn facilita tal-futbol li tinkludi grawnd ta` turf artifucjali 11 a side, stand ghal pubbliku, dressing rooms, sala tal-Kumitat u sala ohra li tintuza mill-komunita tal-lokal ghal attvitajiet varji.

Ray Camilleri, cermen tal-Fondazzjoni Sport Birzebbuga qal li din hija holma li saret realta.  Huwa semma li ghal diversi drabi kellhom grawnd u ghew imnehhija ghar-ragunijiet differenti u fl-ahhar snin kellhom  jikru fi skola San Benedittu biex jithargu.  Huwa qal li dan huwa rigal sew ghas-St Peters kif ukoll ghal Windmills li ha jgieb aktar tfal li jersqu lejn il-loghba tal-futbol u anke lejn il-klabb.

Is-segratarju Parlametari Clifton Grima qal li da nil-kumpless ma kienx facli li jsir izda sar bi sforz kollettiv.  Huwa qal li issa sta ghal klabb li gahndu l-ghodda f’idejh biex juzaha tajjeb u barra li jheggeg aktar tfal u zaghzagh ghal loghba tal-futbol, jaghmel dan il-post sostenibli.

Kemm ic-Cermen ta` SportMalta Luciano Busuttil u il-Kap Ezekuttiv Mark Cutajar tkellmu fuq il-progetti li SportMalta qed taghmel.  Huma qalu li dawn ikunu possibli mhux biss ghax il-finanzjament huwa wiehed kontinwu minn naha tal-Gvern izda ghax il-haddiema ta` SportMalta jahdmu qattiegh biex il-progetti jsiru u jsiru tajjeb.

Wara id-diskorsi, il-Prim Ministru iltaqgha kemm mal-kowcis kif ukoll ma numru ta` tfal li kieneu hemm ghas-sessjonijiet ta` tahrig is-Sibt filghodu.

Seba’ mwejjed ta` l-isnokker ta’ l-oghla livell kif ukoll erba’ mwejjed ta` l-isnooker ghat-tfal issa qeghdin kollha taht saqaf wiehed hekk kif SportMalta, il-Hamis sitta’ ta` Dicembru fethet Centru ta` l-isnooker.

Il-loghba li tradizzjonalment kienet loghba tal-kazini ta’ festa u politici, kif ukoll ta’ bars issa ser tista tigi pratikata f’Ambjent differenti li barra li ghandu imwejjed ta’ l-oghla livell ghandu ukoll kamra ta` laqghat u faclitajiet ohra li jaghmlu da nil-post attraenti.

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima officially inaugurates a new snooker facility-Maria Assumpta Sports Complex-Ħamrun -6-12-18

L-investiment ta` 700 mitt elf Ewro minn SportMalta gie inawgurat mis-Segretarju Parlamentari ghal-Isport Clifton Grima fil-prezenza tac-Cermen ta` SportMalta Luciano Busuttil, Il-Kap Ezekuttiv Mark Cutajar, Frans Bugeja President tal-Malta Billiards and Snooker Association, membri tal-kumitat u haddiema ta` Sport Malta.

L-Onorevoli Grima qal li dan ic-centru huwa wiehed importanti ghax issa tfal u zaghzagh jistghu jaghmlu tahrig fuq mwejjed tajbin kif ukoll that kowcis kwalifikati.  Ghal li dan ic-centru ser jintuza mi tfal ta` l-iskola,  mill-akkademja ta` SportMalta parti mill-programm On the Move, kif ukoll mill-Assocjazzjoni sabiex torganizza fih Kampjonati Nazzjonali u kompetizzjonijiet ohra.

Frans Bugeja qal li din hija holma li saret realta.  Huwa qal li ghal hafna snin l-assocjazzjoni kienet qed tistenna li  jkollha centru bhal dan sabiex l-isport ikompli jikber.  Semma li fil-passat dan l-isport gab biss successi bi players bhal Tony Drago, Pawlu Mifsud, Guzi Grech u Alex Borg fost ohrajn poggew lil Malta fuq il-mappa internazzjonali ta` dan l-isport.

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima officially inaugurates a new snooker facility-Maria Assumpta Sports Complex-Ħamrun -6-12-18

Il-Kap Ezekuttiv Mark Cutajar qal li din il-facilita hija it-tieni parti mill-kullana ta` progetti f’Maria Assunta. Wara li is-sena li ghaddiet tlesta u infetah l-grawnd tal-futbol u issa centru ghal l-isnooker issa fadal issir sala tal-handball,  padiljun ghal sport varju, sala tal-bocci u sala ghat-table futbol biex dan il-kumpless ikun komplut.

Luciano Busuttil tkellem dwar l-importanza li dawn il-faclitajiet ghandhom biex l-isport jikber.  Semma li On The Move tant kiber li jekk ma jkollniex iktar centri ma nkunux nistghu nilhqu l-objettivi taghna biex naghmlu socjeta aktar partecipi fl-isport u iktar attiva.

The Applications for the Flexi Training Scheme for Public Sector Employees are once again open. The popular scheme gives the opportunity to employees within the Public Sector to dedicate more time practicing and training their sports.

More information about the Scheme can be viewed HERE.

Or contact our Assistance Schemes Office HERE.

Following the success of the previous scheme with the element of flexibility being introduced in the 20/20 scheme, thereby focusing more on flexibility and the actual training requirements of the individual athlete, SportMalta has worked in now extending the scheme for players of team sports whom the national sports organisation would like to assist with being available for competitive matches and tournaments.

To this effect, SportMalta would like to assist national sports organisations in their efforts when preparing their teams for international competition recognised as such by SportMalta, throughout the pre-match / pre-tournament days and match days.

You can download this new scheme information and Application Form from this page: CLICK HERE

The 3rd full partner meeting of the ONSIDE project partners took place in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 15th/16th November 2018 at the headquarters of European Athletics.

The main ‎focus of day 1 of the meeting was to consider the results of the research phases of the project. Adequate workforce research is the foundation of a successful skills development project and the partners reviewed the results from the four phases of research which had been carried out since the last meeting.

Telephone interviews with nine leading European federations generated useful data and increased the network of federations committed to the ONSIDE project.

The group were most looking forward to learning the results of the national sport federation online survey – as all had made significant efforts to promote the survey in their networks.

247 respondents provided responses across 50 sports. The partner countries (France, UK, Bulgaria, Romania, Malta and the Netherlands) were very well represented.

Results were analysed and discussed under key workforce development themes including recruitment, retention, skills, education and current challenges.

At the close of Day 1 delegates took a guided tour of the Olympic museum, which was arranged by European athletics and enjoyed immensely by all.

Day two saw delegates debating levels and models of sport officials, led by Jan Vlasblom of NOC*NSF, and agreeing a structure for the Occupational Descriptor to be produced in the project. Finally an interactive session produced an overall working definition of sport officiating which is the starting point in the production ‎of competency standards.

The partners now look forward to the next meeting in Bucherest, Romania, in March 2019 where they will finalise the first set of outputs.

‎Ben Gittus, EOSE Director of Standards, said “the partners are working together very well as a team to tackle this challenging skills development project, the research phase considered at the meeting has laid a solid foundation as we move in to year 2 of the project”.

Julia Lee, Director at Sports Officials UK, said “The two days have been really illuminating and it has highlighted the passion for sports officiating. 247 people completed the survey which in the time scale is really positive. The input from the partners and information gathered will be really useful to progress to the next stages of the project”.

Eluf ta’ nies ħonqu t-toroq Maltin li minnhom għaddew l-erbgħa rotot prinċipali li fformaw parti mill-għaxar edizzjoni ta’ The President’s Solidarity Fun Run, b’risq il-Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation. Ir-rotta tal-ġiri telqet mir-Rabat, filwaqt ir-rotot tal-mixi telqu minn Raħal Ġdid, minn Santa Venera, u mill-Universita’ ta’ Malta. Kien propju minn din ir-rotta li telqet l-E.T. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President ta’ Malta, flimkien mad-Deputat Prim Ministru, l-Onor Chris Fearne, u l-Kap ta’ l-Oppożizzjoni, Dr Adrian Delia u is-Segretarju Parlamanetari ghal l-Isport Clifton Grima fost ohrajn.

Ir-rotot kollha tnexxew minn haddiema ta’ SportMalti ikkordinati mill-kap ezekuttiv Mark Cutajar li bhal kull sena jaghmlu din l-attvita b’mod volontarju ghax jemmnu li l-isport jista jghaqqad poplu u jaghti l-kontribut tieghu lejn kawza gusta.  It-tlett rotot tal-mixi inghaqdu f’Bieb il-bombi bioex imbaghad kullhadd dahal wara l-eccelenza taghha lejn Triq Sant’Anna il-Floriana, Triq ir-Rebubblika il-Belt Valletta u Pjazza San Gorg fejn intemmet din il-mixja ta` solidarjeta.

Waqt li indirizzat lil folla numeruża fi Pjazza San Ġorġ, il-Belt Valletta, il-President irringrazzjat lill-Maltin u l-Għawdxin, “talli, bil-preżenza u bil-parteċipazzjoni tagħkom, urejtu l-akbar valur li ħallewlna ommijietna u missirjietna – il-valur tas-solidarjeta’, tal-ġenerożita’, tar-rispett u ta’ l-imħabba, il-valur li jgħaqqadna flimkien għax naħsbu f’xulxin.” Il-President qalet li hija kburija bil-Maltin u l-Għawdxin kollha għax bis-saħħa tal-valur tas-solidarjeta’, il-Poplu Malti u Għawdxi sar poplu distint fid-dinja.

Il-President irringrazzjat lill kull min kien involut fit-tħejjija ta’ din l-attivita’, lill-forzi tas-sigurta’, lill-voluntiera tal-Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, u lill-kumitat organizzattiv, mmexxi mis-Sur Mark Cutajar.   Minn naha tieghu Cutajar li din ic-celebrazzjoni taghti sodisfazzjon kbir ghax barra li kullhadd qed jaghmel l-attivita fizika, kullhadd qed jaghti parti mill-gurnata tieghu biex jaghmel il-volontarjat realta.  Huwa irringrazzja fost ohrajn lil haddiema ta` SportMalta li dejjem  jidhlu ghal din l-attivita b’entuzjazmu kbir.

Din kienet attivita’ oħra bi preparazzjoni għall-Istrina 2018, li bħal dejjem issir l-għada tal-Milied. Il-President Coleiro Preca filwaqt li tenniet li l-ispiża tal-Fondazjoni fuq il-kimoterapija speċjalizzata qed tlaħħaq it-800,000 ewro fix-xahar, appellat lill-Maltin u l-Għawdxin, biex permezz ta’ l-Istrina, jerġgħu jikkonfermaw kemm huma tassew poplu distint, li jħaddan bis-sħiħ il-valur tas-solidarjeta’ – “solidarjeta’ li nuru ma’ ħutna fil-bżonn.”

In the best of weather this Sunday morning Malta’s main roads filled with thousands of people who answered President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca’s call and took part in an event to show solidarity. The annual President’s Fun Run this year celebrated its 10th anniversary and kicked off a chain of events that will raise funds and will culminate in L-Istrina on the day following Christmas Day.

At around 11.30am, St George’s Square in Valletta filled with people who had either walked or run over the four different routes to participate in an event organised by the Fondazzjoni Malta Community Chest Fund, an annual appointment responded to by many in solidarity for those who are in need.

Developments over the four different routes were transmitted directly by TVM2 to continue boosting donations for the Fondazzjoni. Some participants ran the distance from Rabat to Valletta while others walked from Santa Venera, Paola or the University which was the starting point for President Coleiro Preca, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and Opposition Leader Adrian Delia.

Finally all met up in Valletta and were addressed among others by the President in St George’s Square.

The President said the people had responded in what they believe, a people that are exceptional and unique. She said the people believe in generosity and solidarity and had not done so to answer her call but because they believed in the cause. She said today’s has been an event that has shown what a great people this country has.

She appealed to the people to continue distinguishing themselves with this generosity and solidarity, virtues that make them the best people in the world. She said calls for donations have yielded €800,000 monthly and mainly go towards specialised chemotherapy for cancer patients.

The President said the Istrina event has to be a strong one because it is projecting the year’s donations reach €9 million annually. She said she is convinced the joint solidarity will lead to a situation where anybody who is in want will receive the support they require.

Both the Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and the Leader of the Opposition Adrian Delia praised the generosity and the great show of heart of the people.

This activity was organised by SportMalta in collaboration and with the support of various entities including the BNF Bank. The sum total of donations from today’s events will be announced during L-Istrina.

NEWS LINK (TVM.COM.MT)

In the meantime, we at SportMalta collected the best photos and social media story throughout the day. Here are the best ones…

Perfect weather for the @presidentMT solidarity fun run by @SportMalta Bring your family and friends and join a route today either university or poala square or st Venera and join thousands in the biggest sport and charity event on the Island .event starts at9:45 pic.twitter.com/VU85JriXtO

— Mark Cutajar (@cutajar_mark) November 4, 2018

Some old faces from SportMalta joined us for the #FunRun2018

📷 @Dermot_Galea

📷 George Azzopardi

📷 Laura Cunningham

📷 Josianne Pulis

📷 Georgiana Piscopo

📷 Claire Agius Conti

📷 M Elchior F Arrugia

📷 Owen Bonnici

📷 BNF Bank

HELP SHAPE THE SPORT WORKFORCE FOR THE FUTURE

The survey is part of the ESSA-Sport project funded by the European Commission under Erasmus+ and coordinated by the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE).

It is a transnational initiative for the whole of the EU with the involvement of 18 national partners and 5 European networks.

The project’s full title is the European Sector Skills Alliance for Sport and Physical Activity (ESSA-Sport).
The aim of the project is to improve the supply of skills to the sector. The views of employers are vital to the success of the project and the survey results will be used to inform: > 28 national reports and skills action plans for the sports sector – one for each EU member state; > the first EU-wide analysis of employment and skills across the whole sector; > the first EU Skills Summit for the sport sector to be organised in 2019.

We aim to present employer views on the realities and challenges facing the sport sector which is growing, changing and becoming increasingly important to the social and economic future of Europe, and to make recommendations for future action.

WE NEED YOUR VIEWS

By completing the questionnaire you will provide vital evidence from your country which will: > influence the provision of education and training to ensure the sector has the skilled workforce of professionals and volunteers it needs to succeed; > help shape employment and careers advice.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this important survey.

START SURVEY

Il-ħiliet li hemm bżonn sabiex tkun atleta professjonali, l-isfidi li jiffaċċjaw l-atleti flimkien mar-rwol tal-media sportiva kienu t-temi li ddominaw it-tieni u l-aħħar ġurnata tal-forum nazzjonali tal-isport fil-lukanda The Palace tas-Sliema s-sibt filgħodu.

Fost il-kelliema barranin spikka John Steele, personalita’ prominenti tal-isport fir-Renju Unit. Steele kien serva bħala kap eżekuttiv ta’ UK Sport, organiżżazzjoni li kellha l-għan li ttejjeb il-livell tal-atleti brittanniċi fil-logħob olimpiku u li waslet għal-rebħ rekord ta’ midalji minn Team Britain fl-edizzjonijiet ta’ Londra u Rio.

Steele wera kif l-atleti brittanniċi wasslu biex minn total ta’ 15-il midalja mirbuħa fil-logħob olimpiku ta’ Atlanta fl-1996 rebħu 67 midalja f’Rio fl-2016. Biex wasslu għal dawn ir-riżultati kellhom ibiddlu l-istrateġija sportiva fir-Renju Unit.

Bdew mis-settur tat-tfal hekk kif kollox jibda mill-iskejjel u mill-klabbs. Hemm bżonn li jsir ħafna xoghol f’dan is-settur għax l-ewwel esperjenza li t-tfal ikollhom fl-isport hija dik li tinfluwenzahom fil-futur. Huwa għal dan il-għan  li kull min hu involut fit-taħrig tat-tfal ikun jaf kif għandu jiggwidahom.

John Steele ghadda biex tkellem dwar ċertu fatturi li jtappnu r-reputazzjoni tal-isport u l-isportivi. Huwa importanti li ssir bidla fil-kultura sportiva u kif il-pubbliku jharsu lejn l-isport. Sfortunatament ċertu imgieba minn atleti, teħid ta’ sustanzi illegali, il-korruzzjoni u l-vjolenza qed inaffru ħafna nies mill-isport.

Meta jsiru l-bidliet wieħed ma għandu qatt jiddejjaq li jisfida is-sistema. Steele qal li meta kien qed jaħdem fil-qalba tal-isport fir-Renju Unit ma ddejjaqx jieħu deċiżjojnijiet u inizjattivi li fil-bidu deheru strambi jew impossibli li jitwettqu.

Dejjem żamm f’moħħu wkoll il-bidliet li għaddejja fid-dinja tal-lum u mexa ma’ dawn il-bidliet

Tkellem ukoll dwar il-problemi emozzjonali u psikoloġiċi li l-atleti jiffaċċjaw waqt il-karriera sportiva tagħhom. Problemi li qiegħdin dejjem jiżdiedu. Dawn iridu jigu indirizzati sew u l-entitajiet sportivi għandhom joffru aktar appoġġ f’dan ir-rigward.

John Steele temm l-intervent tiegħu billi saħaq li jekk pajiz irid ikollu suċċess fl-isport irid jagħraf li hemm bżonn jittieħdu deċizjonijiet iebsa u mhux daqstant popolari. Deċiżjonijiet bħal dawk li ittieħdu fir-Renju Unit fejn wara li raw liema kienu d-dixxiplini sportivi li bihom kellhom cans kbir ta’ success, iffukaw fuqhom finanzjarjament. Għaraf il-fatt li din l-istrateġija mhiex daqstant popolari, izda staqsa jekk hux aħjar li tkun brillanti fi ftit sports jew inkella medjokri f’ħafna dixxiplini sportivi.

Il-forum ghadda biex iffoka fuq l-atleti li jsibuha diffiċli sabiex jibnu karriera sportiva u fl-istess waqt ikomplu bix-xoghol professjonali taghhom.

L-ewwel kelliema kienu d-direttur tas-servizzi tal-MCAST Philip Vella, u l-lecturer fl-Universita’ ta’ Malta Dr Andrew Decelis li fissru l-ħidma li qed issir f’pajjizna mal-atleti tagħna.

Min-naħa tagħha Adele Muscat, sports psychologist fl-iskola nazzjonali tal-isport, tkellmet fuq l-istress li jgħaddu minnu ħafna studenti fit-tentattiv li jibbilanċjaw l-istudju mal-isport. L-iskola nazzjonali tal-isport tgħin u tiggwida lit-tfal dwar kif jistgħu isibu dan il-bilanċ. Għajnuna li għandha tingħata wkoll lil tfal ta’ skejjel oħra.

Il-forum ġie indirizzat ukoll minn Guy Taylor, direttur tat-Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme. Huwa tkellem dwar l-isfidi li jiltaqgħu magħhom dawk l-atleti li apparti l-karriera sportiva għandhom karriera ohra ta’ xogħol professjonali.

It-TAAS taħdem sabiex toħloq sistemi li jaraw li l-atleta jkun jista’ jistudja u jitħarreġ fl-isport. Tgħin sabiex atleta jiżviluppa fis-sħiħ il-potenzjal tiegħu kemm fl-isport kif ukoll fl-istudju jew ix-xoghol. Wieħed irid dejjem iżomm f’moħħu li se jkun hemm mument meta l-karriera sprotiva ta’ atleta ħa tasal fi tmiemha. Ghalhekk hu ta’ importanza li wara li jtemm din il-karriera sportiva, l-individwu jkun jista’ jkompli ħajtu bil-professjoni li jkun dejjem xtaq li jagħmel. It-TAAS tgħin sabiex atleta jiżviluppa fl-isport, fl-istudju u fil-professjoni tiegħu biex finalment jkun jista’ jilħaq il-potenzjal f’ħajtu.

Tema oħra diskussa kienet ir-rwol tal-media sportiva. Pierre Cassar, li għandu esperjenza kbira fil-qasam tax-xandir, tkellem dwar kif il-komunikazzjoni tista’ tkun effettiva. Importanti li wieħed ikun ċar f’dak li qed jirrapporta, mingħajr tul żejjed u kliem tekniku tqil. Ġurnalist irid ikun jaf l-udjenza tiegħu u dejjem iżomm f’moħħu għal min qed jirrapporta. Ġurnalist irid ukoll jagħraf juża mezzi ta’ komunikazzjoni differenti. Irid jimxi mat-tibdil taż-żminijiet hekk f’dawn l-aħħar snin imxejna mill-ġurnalizmu stampat għas-social media u n-news portals.

Il-president tal-għaqda ġurnalisti sports Sandro Micallef appella lill-assoċjazzjonijiet sportivi sabiex jinvestu fis-settur tal-komunikazzjoni tagħhom.

Qal li minħabba l-fatt li f’pajjizna huma ftit il-gurnalisti full time, l-assoċjazzjonijiet iridu jgħinu lill-istess ġurnalisti fil-promozzjoni tal-isport tagħhom. Dawn l-assoċjazzjonijiet jistgħu faċilment jibagħtu rapporti qosra u konċizi, preferibbilment b’ritratti jew filmati ta’ kwalita’ tajba.

Il-forum gie fi tmiemu b’intervista lis-segretarju parlamentari għaz-zagħzagħ, sport u għaqdiet volontarji l-onorevoli Clifton Grima. Irringrazzja lil dawk kollha li taw sehemhom tul dan il-forum. Qal li minn dejjem kienet il-viżjoni tal-gvern li ma jingħalaqx fih innifsu iżda li niddiskutu bejnietna u nieħdu t-tajjeb ta’ xulxin.

Dr Grima qal li wasal iż-żmien li nagħmlu qabża fil-kwalita’. Bżonn li intejjbu u insaħħu l-istrutturi tagħna u insiru aktar professjonali. Ħabbar li għal dan il-għan inħatar kumitat sabiex joħloq strateġija għall-isport lokali. Strateġija li tħares b’mod ambizzjuż lejn l-isport.

Irridu wkoll niżviluppaw lill-atleta bħala individwu sabiex ikun ta’ eżempju għall-oħrajn li allura jitħajjru huma wkoll li jibdew jipprattikaw l-isport. Hemm bżonn ukoll li nidħlu fl-iskejjel u naraw min huma dawk it-tfal li jippromettu fl-isport.

Various aspects rotating around  local sports will be discussed during the second  National Sport Forum hosted by SportMalta on the 26th and the 27th of October, 2018 at The Palace Hotel, Sliema. This year’s theme will be “Dynamics towards success’.  Over 150 sport administrators registered for this year’s event.

The forum is a valuable platform for providing organisations with essential information, sharing ideas and discussing common issues. Different roles within sport will be discussed, namely the role of the coach, the role of the parent and the role of the media. In addition, it will also give information on various topics, primarily innovative ideas towards improvement, commercialisation of sport facilities, sport academies and dual career. During the Forum, parallel meetings amongst different stakeholders on future collaboration will be held.

The forum will be addressed by local and top foreign guest speakers who will surely give an added value to the discussion.

Top speaker for this year’s event will be John Steele, a prominent figure in professional sport development in the UK. Steele has a unique blend of experience in creating and leading high performing teams, developed as a professional sports coach and as Chief Executive in the private, public, and not for profit sectors. He served on the England Rugby Board during the successful World Cup campaign of 2003 and appointed as CEO of the Rugby Football Union. The winning of the bid for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics saw John take up post as CEO of UK Sport, the organisation tasked with delivering a world class high performance sport system and delivering medal success for Team GB. His tenure through the Beijing Games and lead into the London Games saw unprecedented results for Team GB.

Another  valuable speaker will be Sheela Quinn, Coaching Children Development Manager from Sport Ireland Coaching. Quinn has been leading the development of  the Sport Ireland Coaching Children and Physical Literacy programmes, since 2012.  She has been instrumental in a number of national, international and ICCE coaching projects; she is one of the authors of the coach educational programme iCoachKids.

The National Sport Forum will also be addressed by Guy Taylor who has been the Director of the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) from its inception. For over 15 years, TASS has supported thousands of Dual Career athletes, with many achieving notable successes later in their sporting and professional careers. TASS-supported athletes have gone on to win numerous World Championships, over 180 Olympic/Paralympic medals and many hold significant positions of influence in sport and business. He also advises and supports several countries and organisations in the development of their own athlete Dual Career programmes, including the EU, IOC, FIBA, FIFAPro and the Japanese, Indian and Brazilian Governments.

Other local speaker include Dr Andrew Decelis, Pierre Cassar, Sandro Micallef, Dr Chris Bonett, Robert Portelli and Charlene Attard coordinated by Rose Marie Mercieca who led the core team of this event. There will also be interventions from University of Malta, MCAST and National Sports School. SportMalta CEO Mark Cutajar will moderate the sessions on both days.

The National Sport Forum will be officially opened on Friday at 5.00pm by the Honourable Clifton Grima – Parliamentary Secretary Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations.   There will also be introductory interventions by Opposition Spokesperson for Sport Ryan Callus and SportMalta chairman Luciano Busuttil.

Friday’s session will tackle the role of the coach and will also deal with parental involvement in sports. There wuill be two parallel session on  the first day of the forum.  One will focus on the commercialisation of sport facilities and another on the possibility of establishing more accademies by SportMalta in partnership with the Sport Organisations.

Saturday’s ssession will commence at 9.30am and will elaborate on a way forward for sport organisations and the groundwork towards a sporting ccareer. The session will carry out a discussion on dual career followed by the role played by media in todays’ sport.

A participation certificate will be presented to all participants at the end of the Forum. The forum will be transmitted live on Facebook page BeActive – SportMalta.