AFM to recruit athletes

The Armed Forces of Malta have issued a call for applications for the recruitment of athletes.

In a statement issued by the government, the AFM said it is seeking to recruit elite sportsmen and women who will serve as soldiers while also being given time to practice their sport.

The athletes will serve in a specialised unit which will have two levels of training.

In the first, soldiers will train for 20 hours and serve as soldiers for another 20 hours per week.

At the second level, the soldiers will practice their sport for a full 40-hours per week.

The unit will be led by an army officer, with the sports training being handled by the Malta Sports Council.

National sports associations may nominate candidates to form part of the new unit. The selection process will be handled by the AFM and the council.

The government said this is another measure it is taking to help the sport elite.

Top sportsmen in the civil service are already granted paid leave to participate in sports events abroad. 186 athletes were granted a total of 925 days of leave under this scheme last year.

Sportsmen in the public sector may also benefit from up to 20 hours of paid leave per week for sports training.