Maltese Olympic Committee president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco yesterday revealed that former Fiorentina and Italy footballer Giancarlo Antognoni will be the special guest at next Sunday’s Sports Awards ceremony at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

Antognoni, now 55 years old, was a class midfielder who had helped Italy win the 1982 World Cup in Spain. He had a glorious15-year spell with Fiorentina between 1972 and 1987 and later ended his career at Lausanne Sports of Switzerland.

The MOC president thanked CONI (Italian national Olympic committee) and the Italian federation for their involvement in helping the MOC to get him here for the event.

Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco said the Awards ceremony is very significant in that it rewards athletes who, together with their officials and parents, made a lot of sacrifices to be successful during the past year.

He thanked Mr Robert Arrigo MP, Norman Hamilton and Rosette Fenech of Malta International Airport, main sponsors, for giving a splendid contribution in their efforts to prepare for a successful and entertaining evening.

Mr Hamilton, chairperson of the ceremony, said he was proud to see the Queen’s Baton forming part of the event. He added that Joe Dimech and Stephanie Cassar will be comeres during the spectacle which is to be transmitted live on Melita Sports from 8pm.

Among the artists performing on Sunday will be top local singers Ira Losco and Ivan Grech, Victor Chetcuti who resides in England but will be singing for the first in Malta next Sunday and Italian artists Jalisse, Jennifer Milan and Jonie Falcone.

He added that he was sure it will be a special evening. “Sport and spectacle make for a perfect wedding,” he commented.

Mr Arrigo, chancellor of the Hall of Fame confirmed that six other persons, no longer active in sports locally, will be inducted this year. But he did not mention any names, as these will be known during the event on Sunday – one of the surprises of the evening.

He said all of them were recommended and approved by the Executive Committee.

Mark Cutajar, MOC Director of Sport, said there were certain criteria to be followed for an athlete to be nominated. He added that the year of sport started on 1 November 2008 and came to an end on 31 October last.

He said the 99 nominations were proof enough of the positive year for local athletes, as one of the criteria laid down by the MOC is that all those selected for nomination had to be successful in the international competitions they took part in.

He said the Awards will recognise the efforts of Malta’s present and future sportsmen while The Hall of Fame will serve for those inducted as recognition for their achievements in the past.

Apart from the normal Awards, special Awards are being presented to members of sporting associations or federations not affiliated with the Maltese Olympic Committee, who made a name for themselves and their country. Also, nine Local Councils are to be given a special Award for their efforts to promote sport in their localities.

The nine Local Councils are those of Floriana, Pembroke, Gudja, Qormi, Hamrun, St Paul’s Bay, Mellieha, Zurrieq and Mgarr.

All the nominees and the Local Councils’ representatives received a certificate yesterday.

MOC secretary general Joe Cassar announced that the Queen’s Baton will be arriving in Malta on Saturday. It is the last lap in Europe. It had been presented by the Queen to the president of India last week. India is hosting the Commonwealth Games next year.

On Monday, the Baton will be taken to various schools around Malta.