Malta needs national shooting complex

Now that we have a world champion in shooting sport, our nation definitely deserves a national shooting complex.

Hundreds of shooters, from 54 nations, took part in the ISSF World Cup 2011 alongside William Chetcuti. With the rapid rise in popularity of shooting sports around the globe, international shooters are looking for training grounds where they can practise and compete.

Our Mediterranean climate makes Malta an ideal site for shooting sport because it can be practised all year round. Cyprus took advantage of this situation and is flooded with national teams for their training camps.

In 2008, when the Malta Shooting Sport Federation was organising its centenary celebrations, the International Shooting Sport Federation, which is the organiser of the ISSF World Cup, ISSF European Championships and ISSF World Championships, had encouraged MSSF to organise international events here but unfortunately, because we did not have the required facilities, we could only limit ourselves to the International Shooting Grand Prix.

If a national shooting complex to accommodate all shooting disciplines practised in Malta were to materialise, the economical and social benefits for this island would be enormous.

Local athletes would have adequate practice facilities and many foreigners would choose Malta for their training camps. It would be beneficial for the property market because with more sports facilities one would attract upmarket investors.

Such a complex would be financially self-sufficient. This is the only way forward for sports tourism.