New proposal on foreigners withdrawn

During the ASA annual general meeting held earlier this week, the proposal on competition rules due to have been submitted by two clubs and relating to the recruitment of one foreign player rather than two, was withdrawn.

This means that the rule permitting teams to make use of two foreigners at a time stays unchanged.

Another proposal to do away with the foreign players altogether was also withdrawn.

The issue of whether to allow an overseas player to sign for a club in the U-19 category was shelved to next month. The main idea behind this proposal is to help more clubs to enter competitions in the youths category, thus attracting more young players to the sport.

During the two-hour meeting, presided by Joe Caruana Curran and flanked by the new officials, secretary Martin Borg and Alan Bonello, vice-president (waterpolo), a number of amendments to the statute were also approved.

Present for the meeting was former ASA president Robert Ebejer.

He proposed the appointment of outgoing vice-president Joe Agius Ruggier as honorary member.

Following another proposal, Austin Sammut, who retired from president towards the end of last year, was appointed as honorary president of the ASA.