Multiple triathlon champion and State school PE teacher Keith Galea.

Updated Saturday 6pm

The State school teacher who was suspended by the Education Ministry in connection with a doping offence has been reinstated, according to a document handed over to Times of Malta by the teacher’s lawyer.

In a letter dated April 13, Keith Galea, was informed by the Directorate for Educational Services that his “precautionary suspension” which had come into force on April 10, had been lifted.

Consequently, he was ordered to report back to work as from Friday.

However, Mr Galea's lawyer, Keith Borg, pointed out that the news was communicated to his client, on Saturday, within hours of the publication of the story.

While, no justification was given for the revocation of the suspension in the letter, Dr Borg said that upon being notified of the disciplinary action, he had instructed his client to enquire with the Public Service Commission whether he would be given the chance to make his submission regarding the matter.

According to his lawyer, he had been given no feedback until Saturday morning’s letter.

Teacher is also a swimming instructor

The State school teacher who is also a part-time swimming instructor at the Malta Football Association pool in Ta’ Qali had been suspended from work, one month after he received a four-year ban over a doping offence.

On March 7, the 30-year-old multiple triathlon and duathlon champion was found guilty by the National Anti-Doping Organisation disciplinary panel of an offence following a test carried out on May 25 last year.

It transpired that the athlete tested positive to the prohibited substance Stanozodol, a synthetic steroid derived from testosterone.

The four-year ban from all activities related to sport was announced by the Malta Triathlon Federation and will remain in force until July 13, 2021.

Apart from being a swimming coach, Mr Galea is a physical education teacher at the San Ġorġ Preca College in Blata l-Bajda.

At the time of the offence, he was also part of the government-sponsored 20/20 scheme, a flexi-training programme whereby some of the hours of work are subsidised by the government in order for selected athletes to be able to dedicate more time to their training.

However, following the ban, Times of Malta received complaints it was still “business as usual”, with Mr Galea still reporting for work both at Blata l-Bajda and Ta’ Qali. 

Sources questioned if such conduct was in breach of the teachers’ code of ethics, as they are bound to be a good example to students.

On March 30, Times of Malta enquired with the Education Ministry if Mr Galea had been suspended and if he was still part of the 20/20 scheme. 

An Education Department official in charge of PE teachers confirmed that he was aware of the issue.

“The situation is being monitored, and the athlete has a right to appeal the ban. Meanwhile, the matter is being handled at a higher level within the ministry,” he said.

Following several reminders and a direct enquiry to the San Ġorġ Preca College on April 11, a ministry spokesman replied:

“The teacher and Maltese athlete that tested positive in a doping test and benefitted from the 20/20 scheme was suspended from work under the rules of the Public Service Management Code.”

However, questions on when the suspension had come into force and if it applied to the scheme were not answered. Meanwhile, inquiries were also sent to the MFA in the wake of reports Mr Galea was still coaching.

In his reply, MFA general secretary Angelo Chetcuti said that Mr Galea was no longer coaching at the Ta’ Qali complex.

However, when he was presented with evidence that the athlete was still included in the weekly roster, Dr Chetcuti insisted that Mr Galea’s last session had been on March 23.

No further explanation was given.