Young swimmer Andre Camilleri, who last week became the youngest person to swim from Gozo to Malta, was not officially registered for the swim, the organisers have said.

While congratulating Andre on his achievement, Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club said his application was refused due to age restrictions that are imposed by the event’s regulations and the club’s insurers.

“The club takes the safety of the participants in all its events very seriously and bending of regulations is definitely not an option,” it said. “In fact, the club refused the participation of other swimmers who were just a few days shy of 14.”

The club said Andre took part in all the two and four kilometre open-water races organised by the club over the summer months. However, the Gozo-Malta swim was undertaken on his own initiative and the club had no part whatsoever in his achievement.

Moreover, the record he set did not have the sanctioning of the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta and is therefore accredited only by the organisation Malta Records.