Firearms shooting is not the sport our nation really needs

I was upset to read recently that the minimum age to be licensed for firearms shooting as a sport is going down from 16 to 14 years. The Times reported that the new rules are in line with the government's policy to promote sporting activities in Malta.

It is true that the definition of "sport" is "any form of physical activity (PA) that involves an element of competition". I personally prefer to speak about PA rather than sport because I believe that one should do daily PA for personal health first and foremost and not necessarily to win.

This does not of course imply that I am against sports.

However, the point that really needs to be stressed is that the sports that our nation really needs in order to address the serious problems of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory health and other conditions is mainly the aerobic type of activities such as running, swimming, cycling and so on. These are often termed cardio-activities because they are of extreme benefit to the heart.

It is a pity to note that the benefits gained from participating in sports are being narrowed down to simply aiming the weapon at a target and pulling the trigger! I will not go into what perils this amendment may bring on society especially with regard to young people who may still be at school.

One highly beneficial way of taking part in sport is to train and compete for a certain achievement, such as when our youths represent Malta in games abroad.

Having said this, I do understand the pleasures of firearms shooting: the possession of the weapon, the recoil pressure, the smell of the gases liberated from the barrel, and obviously the satisfaction of hitting the target.

As a matter of fact, I spent three years with the army and I also possess a firearms shooting licence. However, I do not let passion dictate the way I speak.