Today, Malta is a busy hub of sporting activity and a country that cannot be considered as being part of the Third World when it comes to sport. Driving across the country one cannot but notice the various infrastructural development projects that have been taken in hand in recent years.

These days we are experiencing another milestone achievement in the local sporting world. The Kirkop Sports Complex is a facility that will not only serve elite sportsmen and women but, more importantly, it shall serve as an educational tool given its location next to St Benedict College. The complex has a far-reaching dimension in that it is designed to serve the region’s local community when it comes to practising sport. One need not be a top gun athlete to access the complex. Indeed, it is envisaged that it will host people from all walks of life and at all levels of sporting and leisure activity.

When one puts this new complex within the context of the sport strategy designed in recent years, and which is now in the process of a radical upgrading, then one will appreciate this €3.5 million investment much more. One will also realise that it is, yet again, another synergist in a long line allowing athletes at all levels to foster a culture for sport and excellence in sport.

In recent years, we have seen initiatives designed to boost the efforts of athletes in their performance rating, namely:

The 20/20 sport training scheme where elite athletes dedicate up to 50 per cent of their work time to their sport while still receiving a full wage.

The special sport leave entitlement that enables athletes to represent their country for up to 10 sports events in any one year without taking up their normal leave entitlement.

The soldier athlete scheme, which provides athletes with a career path within the Armed Forces of Malta while dedicating up to 40 hours of their working time to sport.

The sport scholarship scheme, which consists of various sport scholarships open to both athletes and students to specialise in a field of sport.

The 15.25 per cent refund on sport equipment purchased by national sport organisations.

The extension of the Tal-Qroqq Fitness Centre, which hosts many athletes in their preparation.

The national sport school that will start operations this September.

Apart from all this, sport has been integrated within the social fabric of Maltese society through various initiatives.

State schools offer a full programme of sporting activities through a dedicated team set up by the Malta Sports Council (KMS) and which now handles 31,343 students during school hours.

The KMS also offers other sport programmes outside school hours. Between last 0ctober and January, these catered for 7,570 participants.

Local councils have also been mobilised. In collaboration with the KMS, 4,851 individuals attended sport programmes hosted jointly with local councils.

Today, one can walk into a school after tuition hours and witness a hub of sporting activity. One can join any of the three walking and jogging clubs and use the athletics’ tracks in schools after hours free of charge. One can also go to an open air fitness centre.

We have also witnessed a vast improvement in the way sport is perceived in general by putting in place such tools as the child protection guidelines in sport and the national anti doping agency.

The icing on the cake? The €8 million assistance granted by the government to sport organisations and athletes.

Malta has made giant strides ahead in its evolution of sport in recent years and, today, we can hold our heads high and no longer consider ourselves to be the Cinderella in sport.

All this does not happen by chance but has to have scope, objective, design and a leadership with a clear vision. Such leadership and vision has been forthcoming from Youth and Sport Parliamentary Secretary Clyde Puli who has left no stone unturned to be the prime mover behind these projects. His leadership and vision inspired all around him to go for more and it is this spirit that keeps one and all motivated and with a vaulting ambition to always aim higher.

The author is a former national football team coach.