The recent performances by Maltese football clubs in their Champions League and Europa League commitments, most notably Birkirkara’s historic third round qualification, have proven that when push comes to shove, our sportsmen and teams can achieve prestigious results for our small nation known for its sports passion.
Other key sports milestone achievements involved the men’s national water polo team, the women’s basketball national team as well as William Chetcuti in shooting, to name a few.
Most of us have heard about the heroics achieved by the Icelandic football team at the recent Euro 2016. Without entering into the lengthy reasons on how Iceland achieved such success, one thing is clear; this was not afreak occurrence.
Iceland’s historic place at the Euro 2016 was achieved via a well-orchestrated master plan which had backing at the very top by the Icelandic government all the way down to the players, coaches and technical staff. Everybody was working for a common goal, a goal which they proudly showed off to the world earlier on this summer.
There has never been a more opportune time for Malta to tackle the issues that have always hindered our further development in sports
Many asked whether Malta, with a slightly larger population than Iceland, could achieve something similar. However, sadly the vast majority of self-proclaimed ‘sports experts’ deemed that such dreams are impossible to achieve and that Iceland’s achievements were a one-off.
This is a sad answer because the question of whether Malta can achieve similar success in sports must be looked into and tackled over the long run and not in the short run.
First, there is need for a working group to be created whereby government representatives, local sports association representatives and other interested parties can come together and brainstorm ideas and ways on how to improve our sports product. There is need for a common plan to be adopted by all sport entities, which would be backed by the government and through which everyone involved in the field of sports would be working on a common goal.
The recent publication of the White Paper on The Commercialisation of Sports Facilities in Malta has given sports clubs a new opportunity to tap into further income for the running of their clubs.
While it is positive to note the government’s intention of providing clubs with such opportunities, it is vital that the investment received is made use of in the right manner by investing such monies in the club’s infrastructure and ensuring that there are adequate funds for members to continue to achieve betterhistorical results for both club and country.
Malta has always been blessed by a stable economy and advantageous weather all year round. These are two perfect combinations for the government to start seriously thinking about creating a lucrative sports tourism industry in Malta, attracting well-known clubs to come over for training camps and friendly matches.
Our national stadiums could also host lucrative international sporting events via proper investment and management control. Such prestigious events will provide our local athletes with the chance to train with world-renowned athletes, pump further money into our booming economy, allow clubs to invest ineven better training facilities as well as create further employment opportunities.
A clear example of this success was the recent UEFA U-17 Championships held in Malta and Gozo during 2014.
With sports being a key part of the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, which runs until 2020, there has never been a more opportune time for Malta to tackle the issues that have always hindered our further development in sports-related activities.
By getting the ball rolling and having adequate professionals who can guide sports clubs and associations in the right way forward, Malta can continue to make its mark on the international sports scene. This cannot be achieved overnight, but the foundations can start to be laid today.
Malta may be a small island, a dot compared to larger sports-oriented countries, however nothing can beat the determination and passion that we have for the love of the game, whatever sports that may be.
Robert Dingli is vice president club affairs, Swieqi United FC.