Michael Fiteni has been ruled out of the 2011 Games of the Small States of Europe with only a few days to go for the opening cere-mony in Vaduz.

The Australia-based squash player suffered a serious ankle injury during training in London earlier this week. Tests carried out showed that the 35-year-old is unlikely to recover in time to join Team Malta for the Games.

“Losing Michael just a few days before the start of the Games was a blow for our hopes,” Ivan Balzan, the Malta coach, told The Times yesterday.

“He was a key member in the team but now we have to look at other alternatives. This is a strong squad we have and I’m sure the others in the team will be up to the job.”

Despite Fiteni’s withdrawal, Balzan said he was not going to name a replacement as two reserve players had already been listed in the squad in case of a late withdrawal.

The men’s squash team open their commitments on Monday when they face Iceland at the Squashhouse in Vaduz.

On a more positive note, the Maltese Olympic Committee yesterday got the green light from the world cycling governing body, the UCI, and the Scottish Olympic Committee to have Dave Millar representing Team Malta at the Ruggell time-trial next week.

Millar’s presence was put into doubt in midweek when reports emerged that the Scottish NOC were objecting to his participation in the Liechtenstein Games as it would make him ineligible to race for them in the 2014 Common-wealths which will be staged in Glasgow.

MOC general secretary Joe Cassar cleared the issue with the authorities concerned this week.

“The UCI and the Scottish Olympic Committee find no objection that Dave Millar races for Malta in Liechtenstein,” Cassar said yesterday.

“Hopefully, that brings to an end this saga. Now, we are looking to inform Millar about the latest developments to assure him that his participation in the GSSE will not jeopardise his chances of racing for Scotland in the Com-monweatlhs.”