Charles Camenzuli, honorary president, Malta Sports Journalist Association and AIPS Europe president, writes:

As was appropriate, on December 7, the day of the passing of its former president Henry Calleja, at the age of 77, the Malta Sports Journalists Association remembered this veteran journalist who was active for over 50 years in the field of sport and who remained involved till the very end of his life.

Henry Calleja remains an icon who will forever be associated with the first years of sports transmissions on the Redifussion in the 1960s and later on Radio Malta. Together with Frank Camilleri, Mario Meli and Twanny Buhagiar he gave space to other sport which was not football.

He presented various sports programmes on Xandir Malta and later on PBS. He was also active in the printed media among others as a journalist in Il-Hajja, The Malta Independent, where he was also its first sports editor and previously in The Bulletin. He was also a contributor in other publications, including In-Nazzjon.

I had the opportunity and privilege to work with Henry for many years and always remember him following sports events with a meticulous attention to detail. He was one of the founding members of the Malta Sports Writers Association in 1970 and was also instrumental in the administrative development of the same association, which then became the Malta Sports Journalists Association.

When he became president of the Association in 1987, taking over from Fr Hilary Tagliaferro, his first challenge was to bring the national sports associations closer to the sports media. I remember how important the National Sports Seminar was for him and for many years this continued to occur on an annual basis together with the same associations. This seminar was the fulcrum for other journalists to start becoming specialised in sports such as basketball, waterpolo, horse racing as well as billiards and snooker.

During the same period of his presidency, there were several delicate moments when the sports media did its utmost to increase its autonomy and at the same time protect the media’s rights. One example was the response to then MFA president Joe Mifsud’s decision to suspend and retract the accreditation of journalists Tonio Farrugia and Mario Pisani. On that day, those present for the press conference had slowly filed out of the room as soon as Dr Mifsud began his address.

Calleja remained president until 2003. The Malta Sports Journalists Association had also made him an honorary president last year. He was also a teacher and educator with a vast and varied career in sports administration where, for a number of years he was also the representative of the Malta Sports Writers Association on the board of the Malta Sports Council.

After the massive 12-1 defeat which the Maltese national football team suffered against Spain in the 1980s, he was also part of a board of inquiry in connection with the same match. I recall that for several years he served as general secretary of the San Ġiljan Waterpolo Club. Together with these details that I have recalled here, there are undoubtedly many others which are remembered by his colleagues who had the opportunity to work with Henry.

Rest in peace, dear friend and colleague.

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