Prime Minister Robert Abela announces car and motorcycle racetrack project in Hal Far.

With an investment of € 20 million, this international level racetrack is another promised project which will be enjoyed by everyone.

During a Cabinet meeting held at the Basketball Pavilion in Ta ‘Qali wherein sportsmen were present, Prime Minister Dr. Robert Abela announced this international level racetrack project in Ħal Far, with an investment of € 20 million.

“We are placing sport at the top of the government’s agenda and in the coming years we must make achievements which we have never reached before and embark on projects that have been waiting for years,” said Dr Abela.  Besides giving widespread access to sport for all in our schools and in the community, we must also ensure that our children aspire to be professional sport persons.

He mentioned the Games of the Small States of Europe which will take place in Malta in 2023 and the investment that is being done in the facilities to host these games and also towards the athletes, so that Malta will have the best results in history. 

Presently it is the time for the racetrack project in Hal-Far. “The plans are ready and a financial proposal agreed on with the participation of the NDSF”, the Prime Minister said. He also stated that on a design of German experts at the choice of the Malta Motorsport Federation this project will be of the highest level that everyone will enjoy.

Dr Abela said the government has seen to it that it does not take any land which is outside the development zones, this land is currently already being used for a similar activity. He also said that sound studies have been carried out so this will not be an inconvenient to Birżebbuġa residents, new systems will be introduced to make this race track a professional one and a quality attraction.

The Prime Minister concluded by saying that this is another wisely planned promise that will lead to 95% of the sporting measures of the electoral manifesto implemented.

Representatives of various sports disciplines were invited to this Cabinet meeting, the Malta Motorsport Federation’s president Mr. Duncan Micallef said that this government will be remembered as the one that carried out the wishes of tens of thousands of people. The former FIA European Drag Racing Champion stressed that the motorsport racetrack is the result of cooperation between the government and sport amateurs, due to this Malta will have a high-level project which will enable us to have international champions in this sport.

Minister for Inclusion and Quality of Life Julia Farrugia Portelli said “There is one element that brings us together, the strong value of sport and that we truly believe in its progress in various forms. We look forward to the coming months with a sense of pride that Malta, a small country, will send a strong message on inclusion while we host the Special Olympics next year “.

Minister Farrugia Portelli added that, “When we talk about inclusion we are talking about inclusion in its broadest sense, a girl, a boy with a disability, can play sports and yes they can compete.  In the last three years investment in the sports sector has been unprecedented. From 2019 until now this has increased by € 6.7 million, to a record sum of more than € 14 million. We must always understand the importance of sport, it is scientifically proven that the quality of life is also measured by physical activity”.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, Recreation and Voluntary Organizations Dr Clifton Grima said that the National Motorsport Center in AL Far will strengthen the existing drag racing and karting, while building a circuit adjacent to these same facilities. The parliamentary secretary also said that the existing drag racing and karting facilities will be upgraded and due to this investment international events are already committed. Finally, the parliamentary secretary recalled how this government is achieving results that are crucial for all athletes.

Interventions were also made by sports representatives including basketball, football, water polo, water sports, athletics, rugby, snooker the Maltese Olympic Committee. Also present were representatives of Sport Malta and Equestrian Malta.

Għarb Local Council organised an activity for its residents as part of the European Week of Sport on 16^th September. Tai Chi is a form of graceful exercise that is used to reduce stress and a variety of other health conditions. This is often described as meditation during movement, and it promotes serenity through gentle circulating movements. This was the first time that we had this type of exercise in our village, and we had good feedback. We look forward to doing it again in the future. Thanks goes to SportMalta for their assistance.

On 19^th September, Gharb Local Council organised its third edition of the 5k Run. Nowadays everyone knows how important it is to do some form exercise and #BeActive. This 5k Run brought together athletes of all ages. Every year we always have new participants who are motivated to continue practicing this type of sports. We thank SportMalta for their support in the event. This activity also formed part of the European Week of Sport events.

Today the Malta Snooker Academy based in Hamrun will host an exhibition match between two of Malta’s best ever players Tony Drago and Alex Borg. This event is being organised by SportMalta with the collaboration of the Malta Billiards and Snooker Association as part of the European Week of Sports which officially ends today.

Tony Drago and Alex Borg who are well known for their national and international results, will face each other over best of nine frames.

Also as part of this 7th edition of the European Week of Sport, the Malta Snooker Accademy organised the BeActive Tournament in which 52 players took part with the final game  being played today.  Finalists Philip Ciantar and Brian Cini will decide the winner over seven frames. In the semi finals Philip Ciantar beat Chris Peplow 3-1 whilst Brian Cini managed to beat Glenn Axiaq 3-2.

The two games are going to be streamed live on YouTube Channel link https://youtu.be/KtkBQyyBy61

The final of the BeActive Tournament between Ciantar and Cini starts at 5:00 pm with the exhibition game between Drago and Borg immediately after it.

A record sum for Special Olympics Malta – € 420,000 in direct assistance from SportMalta

At a conference at the National Swimming Pool in Tal-Qroqq, Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli, Parliamentary Secretary Clifton Grima and the President of Special Olympics Malta Dr Lydia Abela chaired the signing of a new agreement between SportMalta and Special Olympics Malta which will lead to SportMalta handing over € 420,000 to Special Olympics Malta over a period of three years.

This agreement will be helping Special Olympics Malta athletes so that they can continue to participate in the International Special Olympics Games and in training camps abroad. In addition, through these funds, Special Olympics Malta will be investing in kits and equipment that it will need from time to time.

At the beginning of her speech, the Minister for Inclusion and Quality of Life Julia Farrugia Portelli congratulated Dr Lydia Abela who has just been appointed President of Special Olympics Malta.

“Through this agreement between this year and the year 2023 Special Olympics Malta will be given € 420,000, a sum that shows a substantial increase on what has been given so far, € 100,000 per year. Very significant is the fact that our country, one of the smallest in the world, will be hosting a world sports event for disabled persons next year, the Special Olympics Games. Significant because it shows that our country is being recognized and appreciated for the way it works and does everything possible to make persons with disabilities feel integrated in society, including in sports. We will be showing that a sporting event of this quality with its protagonists being persons with disabilities is a way towards unity, love and inclusion. People with disabilities will show that they too have an important role to play in unity and love among nations, a role that reflects the principle of inclusion in the society we so strongly believe in,” she said. Minister Farrugia Portelli.

At the end of her speech, Minister Farrugia Portelli thanked all those from Special Olympics Malta who are working hard for the benefit of people with disabilities and promised them that they will continue to find the Government behind them.

Parliamentary Secretary Clifton Grima, while praising Special Olympics Malta for the valuable work done throughout the year, stressed that this work with Special Olympics Malta will bear fruit when in 2022 Malta will be hosting a Special Olympics international event. The Parliamentary Secretary went on to say that the direction of the government is to be a strategic partner of sports associations and federations so that proper planning can be done and thus ensuring stability and work leading to positive change. He concluded that in recent years Special Olympics athletes have achieved various successes both on a sporting level, including in international forums, as well as on a human and personal level where the full development of the person is achieved.

The President of Special Olympics Dr Lydia Abela said that she is proud that together with the National Director of Special Olympics she managed to negotiate with SportMalta the largest financial package for the next three years. The agreement will help Special Olympics in their day-to-day operations and to continue to invest in their athletes and assist them in their development and offer parental support.

Dr. Lydia Abela said that this is an exciting time for Special Olympics and for the whole country, as next year for the first time in 20 years our country will host the international games of Special Olympics. She said that she is certain that as a country we will unite behind our athletes who will continue to honour Malta, and above all make us proud.

SportMalta Chief Executive Mark Cutajar stressed that it is SportMalta’s mission to help create an inclusive society and therefore this contract is of great importance. A contract that will help Special Olympics Malta to be able to reach its objectives more easily, objectives that are not only sporting but also to unleash the potential of every Special Olympics athlete and to support not only the athletes, but also their family. SportMalta is committed that in addition to financial aid, it also helps by hiring a number of specialized coaches to help children in every aspect.

SportMalta was partner in an EU funded project which recognized that the role of sport officials is vital in sport. Sport officials ensure that participants compete within the spirit of the sport or activity through the impartial and consistent application of its rules and laws.

The ONSIDE project explored and defined, for the first time at the EU level, the generic competences, skills and knowledge expected of sport officials – covering all sports and nations.  The education component of the project included the development and delivery of brand new training through innovative learning methods, including e-learning courses.

ONSIDE was a three-year project running from January 2018 to December 2020 and was funded through the European Union Erasmus+ Programme.

The useful outputs of this project can be obtained through the following link.

http://www.onside-sport.eu/library/

Gvern għan-nies – Il-gvern permezz ta’ SportMalta jgħaddi 1,338 metru kwadru ta’ art fiż-Żona Industrijali ta’ Kordin lill-Hibernians Basketball Club biex tiġi żviluppata f’padiljun tal-basketball ġdid

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Isport, ir-Rikreazzjoni u l-Għaqdiet Volontarji Clifton Grima indirizza konferenza tal-aħbarijiet fejn ħabbar li, wara numru ta’ snin ta’ stennija, il-gvern permezz ta’ SportMalta għadda art fiż-Żona Industrijali ta’ Kordin, b’qies ta’ 1,338 metru kwadru u b’ċens ta’ 45 sena, sabiex tiġi żviluppata f’padiljun ġdid u faċilitajiet anċillari.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Clifton Grima spjega li permezz ta’ dan it-trasferiment, il-Hibernians Basketball Club se jkollu klabb sportiv kif jixraqlu u li qed ikompli juri l-impenn tal-gvern li jwettaq il-wegħdiet elettorali sportivi tiegħu. Huwa stqarr li dan il-gvern irid irawwem u jsaħħaħ il-kultura sportiva sa mill-etajiet bikrin.

“Bħala gvern, konxji li biex nagħmlu dan irridu ninvestu fil-faċilitajiet sportivi u fl-għaqdiet infushom, u dak huwa li qed nagħmlu llum. Aħna nemmnu li rridu nagħtu l-faċilitajiet u l-għajnuna sabiex il-klabbs sportivi jkunu jistgħu jkomplu jikbru u jtejbu s-servizzi tagħhom. Wara kollox, huma uliedna li jgawdu minn dan kollu. Dan il-gvern huwa mpenjat biex jinvesti sabiex flimkien nagħmlu l-qabża ta’ kwalità li jmiss. Irridu li kull dixxiplina sportiva tingħata l-opportunità li tiffjorixxi”,  sostna s-segretarju parlamentari.

Iċ-Chairman ta’ SportMalta Dr Luciano Busuttil tkellem fuq il-bżonn li aktar klabbs u assoċjazzjonijiet jieħdu l-inizjattiva biex jikbru u jidħlu għall-isfidi kif għamel il-Hibernians Basketball Club. B’dan il-mod, bl-art tagħhom, aktar klabbs jistgħu jsiru aktar awtonomi u jżidu l-edukazzjoni sportiva fost it-tfal, żgħażagħ u l-komunità inġenerali.

Dan il-gvern huwa mpenjat li jwettaq diversi proġetti b’risq diversi dixxiplini sportivi differenti, filwaqt li jinċentiva lill-għaqdiet iqumu fuq saqajhom u jissaħħu, u jagħti lill-atleti l-ispazju kollu biex jiżviluppaw it-talenti tagħhom lejn l-eċċellenza sportiva.