I would like to start by congratulating Ryan Gambin for being the first swimmer for Malta to ever qualify for the Olympic Games on his own merit. Although many other local swimmers have represented Malta at these prestigious Games in the past, their participation was on an invitation basis, whereby small countries are allowed one participant of each sex to take part. It is a great honour for us to have earned our place at this high-status event.

I would like us to consider, however, the impact that these imported sportsmen and women is having on our locally born and bred athletes.

It seems to have slipped our notice that Mr Gambin will be taking the place of someone else, a local swimmer who wakes up at 5 a.m. day in day out to squeeze in two sessions in between work or school.

These imported athletes, unlike our local athletes, have had access to superior training facilities while growing up in their home country. Many of them, for example, attended sports universities, the likes of which are unheard of in little Malta. Without access to these sports facilities, our local athletes are asked to compete for a local spot against those who have gained from higher standards of training.

Moreover, these imported athletes are also breaking many of our national records. Compared to their home country, record breaking in Malta is rather like a walk in the park, leaving our up and coming athletes unable to reach their higher standards.

While it is understandable that it is important for a country like Malta to search for strong foreigners who are able to represent our country so as to keep us on the same level as other countries who are doing the same, I think it would be more wise for the Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) to invest in improving the facilities for sports in Malta, rather than spending mounds of cash to get the foreigners here. It seems that in our search of medals, we have lost sight of the fact that we are creating a vicious cycle for our local athletes by keeping important goals and incentives well out of their stride.