Sport is a very important element of a nation’s lifestyle. It is a means of interaction between different subcultures and provides a mix of social strata.

It is a fact of life that corruption pervades the national game- Desmond Zammit Marmarà

It is also a healthy practice and one that goes a long way in producing both a proactive and a positive psychological orient-ation among the citizens of a country. In the Maltese islands, as in many other countries, football enjoys pride of place among the various kinds of sport practised by the people.

I have been following the game of football since I was six and, 50 years later, I am of the opinion we have made gigantic strides forward in some aspects of the game but remained backward in others.

Since football is so important because of its social dimension and because the members of the national team are the country’s best ambassadors, I believe it is worthwhile examining the state of Maltese football today.

The greatest stride forward has been made in organisation of the game. One should praise the professional approach of the Malta Football Association under its hard-working president, Norman Darmanin Demajo.

We have seen the further development of what, until recently, were relatively new branches of local football such as women’s football and youth football. Clubs are also being helped to organise themselves on a more professional basis and progress has been made in further developing the game in the island of Gozo.

Perhaps one of the greatest improvements has been in the psychological aspect of the local game. This has been reflected in the improved performances of our national team.

I vividly remember the defective way in which the national team used to prepare in the past for games against more renowned opponents. In those days, we had still not got rid of the colonial mentality and, in pre-match interviews, it was clear that many of our players regarded themselves as vastly inferior to their foreign opponents.

Such an approach to the game meant that, although physically our national team players could compete with their foreign adversaries, psychologically they had already lost the game before it even started. All this against the background of our technical inferiority, which remains, even today, a severe handicap because of the very small size of our country and its limited human and material resources.

I am glad to note that, today, our national team players regard themselves as second to none and this positive psychological approach to the game has resulted in some very laudable performances, although these have still to be translated into positive results, especially in competitive games.

Unfortunately, the cancer that eats away at the very backbone of our game is still present even today. I am referring to corruption. This is neither a phenomenon associated with the present nor one that is not present beyond our shores.

I still remember, near to 50 years ago, when my late father used to take me to the Empire Stadium in Gżira and the “Sliema side” was the area where one would be excused for thinking that he had entered a public betting market.

In the most shameful manner, illegal betting on the result of the game to be played would take place before all and sundry.

The situation is still the same today, although such corrupt practices are now organised in a much more clandestine and professional manner. It is a fact of life that corruption pervades the national game. We have very recently had cases of corruption involving players in our local leagues and national team.

This problem is destroying Malta’s foremost sport. I have met many football enthusiasts who declare they no longer go to watch football games because they feel they are being cheated. One fan told me that he has lost all interest because is common to know the final score in advance.

Solving the problem of corruption in Maltese football is not easy. Indeed, corruption plagues football even in countries where the game is organised in the most professional way possible, such as Italy.

Perhaps we can start doing something positive by concentrating more on inculcating in our very young players positive values that will serve as their armour when attacks on their integrity are made later on.

Schools are, of course, the social and educational institutions that should spearhead such a campaign.

So while football in the Maltese islands has made giant leaps forward, unless we satisfactorily tackle the question of corruption our efforts will continue to be thwarted by those whose selfish interests bring to naught the work of all people who wish local football to reach ever-higher levels of achievement.