Aquatic Sports Association president Joe Caruana Curran expressed his disappointment following Saturday’s Sportivi Nazzjonali contest.
Waterpolo player Steve Camilleri, who finished as the top scorer in the European Championships in Belgrade in January 2016, was pipped by drag racer Duncan Micallef for the Sportsman of the Year Award.
“We are very disappointed with the final result as we feel that Camilleri achievements certainly deserved to be honoured with the Sportsman of the Year award,” ASA president Joe Caruana Curran told timesofmalta.com.
“Personally I have nothing against Duncan Micallef and we sincerely congratulate him for the honour. But in our view Steve Camilleri deserved more.
“I think that to finish as the top scorer in the European Championship at the expense of some world class opponent is a once in a life-time achievement so it’s hard to understand how the journalists did not reward him for his feat with the Sportman of the Year award.
“But irrespective of other people’s judgement for everyone involved in waterpolo he is our moral winner and we are really proud to have such a talented player making a name for himself and for his country at the highest level.”