SportMalta is once again joining the Malta Community Chest Fund for this year’s  The President’s Solidarity Fun Run that will be held next Sunday at 10am.

The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation provides financial, material and professional support to people experiencing difficulties because of severe chronic illness, such as cancer. The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation also supports persons with disability, people in poverty and NGOs (through the Fund for Voluntary Organisations).

Whilst the Run will depart from Rabat (Saqqajja Hill) and carry on for 11.3Km, the walks will commence at Paola Square (5.35Km), University of Malta (4.69Km) and St Venera (4.49Km).

All the routes will congregate at Portes des Bombes, Floriana with participants proceeding to St George’s Square, Valletta for the big finale of the Fun Run.

Applications are now open, and those who’d like to join can do so by applying at any Banif Bank branch, Maltco points of sale, San Anton Palace, the MCCFF offices at the The Palace in Valletta, or online here.

A special commemorative T-shirt will be given to all those attending, together with a wristband which entitles all holders to free public transport after the Fun Run from Valletta to all locations across Malta.

Join us next Sunday for the President’s Solidarity FunRun, where, as One Nation, with One Heartbeat we run or walk to help those in need.

Thank you for your Solidarity!

SportMalta is supporting this year’s European Network of Academics Sports Services (ENAS) Forum & Assembly.

The European Network of Academic Sports Services (ENAS) is the Association of Sports Offices in Higher Education Institutions in Europe. The 19th Annual ENAS Forum and Assembly is scheduled next week and will take place in Malta.

This is the most important ENAS event if the year and an invaluable tool for achieving goals. The Forum attracts around 130 delegates from the European Higher Education System, including senior managers of University Sport, government officials and their representatives, sport policy makers, vice-chancellors, sport directors and organisations of student representatives.

Here, you will find all the information you may need about the 2016 event in Malta that is organised by the University of Malta and the Maltese University Sports Club at the spectacular Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Attard.

It promises to be a spledid edition already with a full line-up of speakers already confirmed.

This year’s theme is “Leadership-Building a brighter Future.

In view of the theme of volunteering as one of the principle topics of the Maltese Presidency, SportMalta has linked it with sports through the launch of a new course for volunteers in sports that will lead to formal certification for all those attending.

The course has been conceived by SportMalta together with MCAST. All those who will successfully complete the course will be awarded with an MCAST Level 2 Award in Sport Volunteering.

This course will mark the beginning of a series of events connected to the Presidency and it shall be presented to the European Union as a good practice.

This course is being offered to all SportMalta employees whereas all sport associations have been invited to attend. The aim of this course is to equip its employees and all those working in the sport industry with competences and continuous development in specific fields related to sports.

All participants will receive a certificate that shows their aptitude in this field and the proficiency achieved which will make them eligible to work with sport entities during both local and international competitions.

The course is divided in three modules and will terminate in March.  A register containing all the names of successful participants will be developed at the end of the course and will serve as a reference to sports entities wishing to engage skilled and trained staff.

Chris Agius, Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation Youth and Sport said that this project is going to be presented as a good practice during the Maltese Presidency. He explained that many of those involved in sports usually work on a voluntary basis and now through this course they have been given the opportunity to get formal recognition through this certification of the work they do. Moreover this project will contribute to maximize on human resources by making the best use of this potential. He maintained that this course will be beneficial to all associations as it places the participants on an advanced level.

Mark Cutajar, CEO of SportMalta stated that this is yet another confirmation of how SportMalta continuously creates opportunities for its employees to grow through learning and training. This course follows another course that was offered to SportMalta’s employees who on successful completion were certified with an MCAST Level 5 Award in Public Service Sport Administration. He reminded that this course, financed by the European Social Fund was offered together with the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) and in collaboration with MCAST. As a matter of fact he thanked MCAST for accepting to work together for a second time on such an initiative so as to offer together a course of the highest level to all those attending. He said that he is convinced that this project will be welcomed by the European Union and stated that the course will be repeated in the years to come so that a record of qualified people in the field of sports is created.

Mr Stephen Cachia, MCAST Principal and CEO stated that he is glad that MCAST is participating in this new project together with SportMalta.  “This course is a valuable tool which will provide sports volunteers with the skills, competences, continuous development in specific fields related to sports. It will also help the sport clubs and organisations to get the most out of their volunteers and also formally recognizes their contribution.”

SportMalta announced new assistance schemes whilst retaining and strengthening the existent ones. This was pronounced during a press conference held at Global College Malta at Smart City.

The new Sports Leave Scheme for the private sector was launched whereby employees working with private companies can now apply for special leave in order to participate in international competitions. This scheme has already yielded succesful results for employees in the public sector and hence the need to expand it further to include all employees has now been addressed by SportMalta.

In the meantime due to the current, strong and stable financial position of SportMalta, all present schemes have been reconfirmed. Hard work and dedication by both management and workers alike have produced this revenue and such results have led to a broader budget assigned to the entity by The Ministry of Finance, trusting SportMalta to administer such funds in the most professional, transparent and honest approach.

Chris Agius, Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation , Youth and Sport explained that the new sports leave scheme for the private sector was fulfiled following  suggestions presented during the bi annual meetings Gvern Li Jisma that proves that this governement listens and acts on the people’s proposals. He said that the function of  the regulatory section was immediately addressed at the beginning of the legislature so that today, following lengthy and intensive discussions it is now semi-autonomous.

He explained that the government together with SportMalta is currently working together with the private sector on the revamping of the Youth Development Scheme so that it is given its due importance with an increase in funds allocated to this scheme. This is evidence of the government’s faith in our youths and that it is taking definite action to invest in this sector.

Luciano Busuttil, Chairman of SportMalta said that there is an urgent need to start making use of all facilities availble and not just rely on human resources. He stressed that vacant places should be transformed into sports facilities so that they start serving our Maltese athletes. Furthermore he remarked on the importance of collaboration between SportMalta and various entities amongst them the University of Malta by which the sporting community can gain from such cooperation.

Mark Cutajar, CEO of SportMalta stated that through these schemes the entity is investing above 2 million euros wherein he believes that such support will contribute to develop professional sports. However he said that it is his wish to see that through these schemes the associations work harder to attract more people towards their particular sports in order to contribute to a healthier and physically active community. He maintained that this is SportMalta’s main mission; that is to move the nation through any possible means. He confirmed that SportMalta will persist in its duty to sustain its atheletes in order for them to be prepared in the best way possible and as a matter of fact he announced that a brand new scheme addressed towards athletes under 18 years will be launched soon in collaboration with a major private company. Details regarding this scheme will be revealed  in the coming weeks.

During the activity, Dr. Karen Zammit Southerwood explained in detail the schemes available. She commented on the importance of good governance in the management of sport organisations with special emphasis on the administration of public funds attained through these schemes. There are various schemes that are available to all levels of sports, amongst them the Capital Expenditure Scheme and the Flexi Training Scheme. Further details are available at www.sportmalta.org.mt.

Applications will be received up to the 19th of December 2016.

SportMalta encourages sports organisations to apply for these schemes so as to enhance professional development and equip our athletes with competences to compete at an international level.

Intlaħaq ftehim bejn l-Assoċjazzjoni Sportiva Hibernians u l-Malta Futsal Association, liema ftehim intlaħaq bl-intervent tas-Segretarju Parlamentari għar-Riċerka, Innovazzjoni, Żgħażagħ u Sport Chris Agius.

Il-kuntratt ta’ tliet snin li kellha l-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Futsal mal-istess Assoċjazzjoni Sportiva Hibernians skada fi tmiem l-aħħar staġun u ż-żewġ partijiet ma kienux qablu sabiex l-istess kuntratt jerġa’ jiġġedded.  Kien għalhekk li l-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Futsal, anke bl-għajnuna tas-Segretarju Parlamentari Agius u SportMalta, pruvaw isibu faċilità alternattiva, liema tentattivi ma nltaħqux, bl-unika alternattiva jibqa’ l-padiljun tal-Hibernians f’Kordin.

B’rieda tajba mill-partijiet kollha ġie mfassal kuntratt ġdid, bi klawżoli ġodda, u ntlaħaq ftehim bl-istess timijiet ta’ Hibernians ikollhom ifittxu faċilitajiet alternattivi għat-taħriġ tal-basketball.  Il-kuntratt attwali jorbot liż-żewġ partijiet għal tliet snin.  Tajjeb wieħed isemmi li l-logħob tal-istaġun 2016/17 ser jkun fil-padiljun ta’ Kordin u fil-Kulleġġ De La Salle fil-Birgu imbagħad il-kampjonat 2017/18 ser jintlagħab kollu fil-Padiljun Sportiv ta’ Kordin.

L-ewwel impenn għal dan l-istaġun tal-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Futsal tkun is-Super Cup bejn Valletta u Luxol li tintlagħab fil-11 ta’ Novembru.

Intant il-Gvern huwa impenjat sabiex fiż-żmien li ġej anke l-Futsal ikollu l-faċilità tiegħu.

Fun Run 2016 launched at Kirkop Sports Complex. The Fun Run will be organised of Sunday 6th Nobember 2016.

In line with SportMalta’s new mission to move the nation through physical activity, our entity has embarked on a new project which is the production of a TV series on TVM2 for the coming 9 months.

Through this series we will be reaching out to combat obesity by educating people of all ages to be physically active. The programme will also serve as a platform to provide information about its extensive remit, events and also giving a voice to local federations and associations.

The programme will commence next week on Wednesday 19^th October 2016 at 19:00 with a repeat on Saturday at 11:00.

Below you can watch the opening of the programme, hope you like it.

Fil-Jiem li ghaddew sar il-ftuh ufficjali tas-sit il-gdid tal-Hal Far Model Flying Association mis-Segretarju Parlamentari ghar-Ricerka, Innovazzjoni, Zghazagh u Sport Chris Agius fil-prezenza tal-President tal-klabb Arthur Napier fost l-ohrajn.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Chris Agius waqt l-indirizz tieghu spjega l-intoppi li ntaqghu maghhom fil-mixja sabiex l-assocjazzjoni tinghata dan is-sit minn fejn tista’ topera.  Filfatt l-akbar ostaklu kien il-fatt li l-art tinsab f’zona industrijali.  Huwa qal li b’rieda tajba minn diversi partijiet intlahaq ftehim b’sodisfazzjoni kbir ghan-numru ta’ dilettanti fi hdan il-klabb. Semma ukoll li fl-isport ma ghandix tidhol il-politika u li l-gurnata tallum tixhed ezattament dan.   Huwa kompla jghid li qieghed jipprova jghin sabiex jintlahqu t-talbiet kbar li qed isiru minn diversi assocjazzjonijiet, ghalkemm dan ma jkunx dejjem possibli.

Il-President tal-assocjazzjoni Arthur Napier semma l-importanza tal-MoU li kien iffirmat ma’ SportMalta.  Napier esprima s-sodisfazzjon li l-klabb wasal s’hawn u rringrazzja b’mod partikolari lill-perit li ghen lill-assocjazzjoni.  Intant Pierre Bonello, segretarju tal-assocjazzjoni fisser din il-gurnata bhala wahda storika li biha l-assocjazzjoni regghet inghaqdet u ssahhet.  Huwa sostna li kien importanti li l-istakeholders bhall-Malta Enterprise kienu involuti sa mill-bidu nett u llkoll gibdu habel wiehed.

Indirizzaw lil dawk prezenti wkoll George Borg Marks, id-direttu tal-Avjazzjoni Civili,  Dr Lucianno Busuttil chairman ta SportMalta u David Agius il-kelliem tal-oppozizzjoni ghall-isport.

Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport Chris Agius officially inaugurates new premises for the Ħal Far Model Flying Association [9-10-16]

A whole month of sport activities and initiatives to promote the message of a healthy lifestyle and #BeActive came down to this. Watch the highlight video of this year’s European Week of Sport in Malta and be inspired to #BeActive