The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) will undertake its fifth international assignment this year when on Thursday an MOC contingent travels to Sicily to participate in the Mediterranean Friendship Games.
This will be the third time the MOC has figured in these Games in which Maltese athletes compete against their Sicilian counterparts in various disciplines that are not usually in the programme of the GSSE and other Olympic events.
This year's edition comprises 15 disciplines, namely archery, badminton, beach volley, pool, chess, dance sport, equestrian, fencing, karate, table football, tenpin bowling, pistol shooting, triathlon, taekwondo and weightlifting.
The Maltese team will be up against a Sicilian selection and one from Palermo. Events will be staged in the Sicilian cities of Trapani and Marsala between Friday and Saturday.
Around 100 athletes and officials will make up the MOC contingent which will be headed by president Lino Farrugia Sacco and general secretary Joe Cassar. MOC director Joe Borg Cardona will act as the team's chef-de-mission.
Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco yesterday told a news conference that the MOC's objective for these Games was not just to obtain positive results but moreso to give members of the associations the opportunity to gain experience in international games.
"When the Friendship Games were first held three years ago, the overriding aim was to give local associations who do not feature in GSSE, Commonwealth or Mediterranean Games, the opportunity to take part in international events," the MOC president said.
"Our athletes have been preparing seriously for these Games as it's important that we get good results. Still, I feel that the most important thing for us at these Games is to give these athletes the international exposure they have been craving for years."
Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco said he hoped this experience will also be exploited by the officials of the associations to begin talks for future co-operation with their Sicilian counterparts.
"The spirit of these games encourages athletes and officials from Malta and Sicily to come together and form partnerships that would benefit both parties," the MOC head said.
"Sicilian athletes have strong backing from the Italian Olympic Committee and have far better resources than what we have in Malta. It will be a good opportunity for our associations to discuss exchange programmes that could possibly lead to Maltese athletes attending training camps in Sicily. I hope that these Games help to strengthen our ties with Sicily."
Asked whether there are plans to expand these Games to other countries, Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco said: "We had talks with Tunisia and Libya to form part of these Games but nothing has materialised.
"Given the limited funds available, we have now decided to keep this event between two countries and add more disciplines. The level of sport in Sicily is high and our associations can gain a lot by competing in these Games every year."
The MOC contingent
Archery: O. Sacco, S. Vassallo, L. Pellicano.
Badminton: K. Vella, D. Cole, J. Cassar, C. Dimech.
Beach volley: R. Balzan, P. Vella, A. Borg, M. Demicoli.
Chess: J. Gauci, D.A. Vella, M. Psaila.
Dancesport: K. Spiteri, A. Amaira, R. Buttigieg, J. Borg.
Equestrian: C. Ciarlo, N. Psaila, D. Micallef, S. Micallef.
Fencing: P. Bianchi, A. Zahra, D. Formosa, J. Vella.
Karate: D. Hales, R. Abela, K. Stanton, T. Tanti.
Pool: M. Falzon, J. Schembri, K. Mercieca.
Shooting: W. Vella, L. Darmanin, C. Chircop.
Table football: S. Bartolo, M. Gauci, M. Cremona.
Taekwondo: K. Meli, J. Spiteri.
Tenpin bowling: J. Caruana Scicluna, K. Arpa, M. Spiteri.
Triathlon: D. Spiteri, M. Wood, D. Galea, M. Zammit.
Weightlifting: C. Zammit, C. Saliba, C. Grech, S. Borg.