State school PE teacher and multiple triathlon and duathlon champion Keith Galea tested positive for the banned substance stanozolol.

A decision by the Education Ministry to revoke the suspension of a State school PE teacher after just three days is shrouded in secrecy, as authorities won’t say the reasons behind the U-turn.

Instead the ministry is insisting that it is following a decision taken by the Public Service Commission, as well as the advice of the Attorney General.

The case involves multiple triathlon and duathlon champion Keith Galea, 30, who is also a physical education teacher at San Ġorġ Preca College, Blata l-Bajda.

On April 10, Mr Galea was placed on “precautionary suspension” and half-pay by the Directorate for Educational Services in connection with a doping conviction. However, the disciplinary action was taken a month later, once he had been slapped with a four-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Organisation.

Mr Galea had tested positive to banned substance stanozolol – a synthetic steroid derived from testosterone. His ban from all sports competitions will remain in force until July 13, 2021.

However, on April 14, the same day that the Times of Malta ran a story that Mr Galea had been suspended from work, he learnt he had been reinstated.

This was confirmed by Mr Galea’s lawyer, who contacted this newspaper saying his client had received a letter that day from the directorate.

The letter, a copy of which was made available by Mr Galea’s lawyer, was dated April 13.

No reason whatsoever was given for his reinstatement.

Ministry sources told the Times of Malta that in all probability Mr Galea’s suspension was only imposed in the wake of the pressure applied by the news story.

“Had it not been for the repeated enquires about why the PE teacher was still reporting for work as normal despite his doping conviction, nothing would have happened in the first place,” they said.

But even they could not explain the reasons for the U-turn, while questioning whether such a course of action was in line with the teachers’ code of ethics.

The code states that “the teacher shall foster in his/her pupils honesty, integrity and consideration for others and shall do nothing, by precept or example, to discredit these qualities”.

“How can somebody guilty of a doping offence, which in layman’s terms is trying to cheat your way through a sporting competition, foster such values in students?” they asked.

Following repeated enquiries for an explanation, the Education Ministry finally replied to questions about the reasons behind reversing its decision.

“The Directorate for Education Services within the Ministry for Education and Employment is following due procedure in this issue and in line with the decision taken by the Public Service Commission and the advice given by the Attorney General’s Office,” a spokeswoman said

“The ministry is pursuing disciplinary proceedings through its institutions,” she added.

Thus, proceedings are under way, and any comment or opinion at this stage would undermine the right to a fair process,” the spokeswoman concluded.

However, no details were given on the nature of these proceedings, the reasons behind the revocation of Mr Galea’s suspension, or if the athlete would still be allowed to teach in due course.