Stretches of land used by various sports clubs will be open to public-private partnerships as a number of legal changes will come into effect by next year, according to Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Stefan Buontempo.
These changes are aimed at luring the private sector into investing in sports, thereby also ensuring the clubs’ sustainability.
The sports associations, many of which were granted a title of temporary emphyteusis of 49 years, will be given the opportunity to amend their contacts to facilitate obtaining bank loans.
Addressing a press conference yesterday on the sports reform, Dr Buontempo said the government will be ensuring that sports clubs are better managed and more sustainable.
Many sports programmes run by the KMS will be farmed out
The approximately 300 clubs and organisations registered with the Malta Sports Council (KMS) will be given the opportunity to improve their administrative and financial management through courses and consultancy.
The government will also be encouraging clubs to take up independent auditing to ensure more transparency and accountability, as well as conforming to the principle of fair play.
The 20/20 Sport Training Leave Scheme, which enables prominent sports people to work 20 hours a week while spending another 20 hours training, will be extended to the athletes’ coaches.
Dr Buontempo explained that many of the athletes were ending up training alone because their respective coaches would be working somewhere else.
The junior minister added many sports programmes run by the KMS will be “farmed out”.
Association, federations, organisations and clubs will be roped in and tasked with managing the sports programmes and facilities.
That would, in turn, allow the KMS to focus on being a regulatory body as opposed to being a service provider.
The different clubs and associations will be encouraged to work more closely together.
“Why does someone from Mellieħa have to go down all the way to Mosta when the particular sports facility is already in place in their location?” Dr Buontempo asked.
“I’ve had requests from people to build them a new football pitch in Pembroke. There are actually five football pitches in Pembroke but they don’t work together.”