Malta will be taking part with a 92-strong contingent made up of athletes and officials at the Madrid FISEC Games this year.

These Games, last year held in Malta, will be staged between 24 and 28 July.

Addressing a news conference yesterday morning at Tal-Qroqq, Br Martin fsc, chairman of the Malta FISEC Committee said athletes had been selected to take part in basketball, futsal, handball, athletics, swimming and tennis.

He emphasised on the pastoral aspect of the games with the motto being ‘tu espirito es nuestra meta (your spirit is our goal).

He added that this year’s Games will see the participation of about 1,200 athletes. “For the first time, all these and the officials concerned are being accommodated in one hotel, the Auditorium, which is considered to be one of the biggest in Europe,” he announced.

Br Martin said that various distinguished personalities, among the Spanish Minister of Education and former IOC President Dr Antonio Samaranch were also expected to attend at one time or another.

Louis Borg, who is also a vice-president of the FISEC Bureau, said these Games had their own importance with participants from Italy, Hungary, Portugal, France, Holland, Belgium, Belgium Flanders, Brazil, Austria, Palestine, the United States, England, and of course, Spain and Malta, taking part.

He added that some decisions will have to be made during the next FISEC Bureau Assembly to be held in Malta in November of this year, such as the increase in the number of participating nations and the contested sporting disciplines. He also said that a decision might also have to be taken in favour of having the Games spread over two years, with some disciplines being contested in the first year and the others in the second year.

David Azzopardi, who will be Malta’s Chef de Mission in Madrid, went on to thank all those, especially the parents, who had supported them in being able to take this big group to the Games.

He added that all the athletes were well prepared and though it was not the spirit of these Games, there were good prospects for medals to be won by the Maltese boys and girls.

He also announced the athletes representing Malta who are the following:

Athletics: Lara Scerri, Alistair Bezzina, Andrea Camilleri, Andy Grech, Christopher Magro, Glen Vella, Kurt Xerri, Mark Bugeja, Matthew Crocker, Stephen Moghrabi. Coaches Eugenio Mallia and Ralph Mifsud.

Swimming: Tamsyn Sciortino, Nicole Cremona, Melinda Sue Micallef, Francesca Paolella, Kim Attard, Stephanie Said, Michael Attard Previ, Kyle Scerri, Adrian Buttigieg, Larkin Mallia, Andrea Agius, Paul Herrera and Quelin Zammit. Coach: Gail Rizzo.

Tennis: Kim Cassar, Steffi Sullivan, Alan Calleja, Clayton Zammit, Matthew Asciak. Coach: Stephen Caruana.

Women’s basketball: Francesca Bianco, Antoinette Borg, Diane Cassar, Francesca Farrugia, Dan McKeon, Emma Moore, Abigail Muscat, Sara Pace, Abigail Sciberras, Leanne Sciberras, Lonneke Calleja and Francesca Tabone. Coaches: Carlo Farrugia and Vincent Camilleri.

Men’s Handball: Alessandro Zerafa, Martin Pisani, James Farrugia, Matthew Casha, Dario Schembri, Neville Borg, Edward Bonello, Matthew Psaila, Enrico Dalli and Eman Sultana. Coaches: Chris Galea and Clyde Borg Conti.

Futsal: James Mercieca, Luke Fenech, Walter Farrugia, Warren Chircop, Malcolm Vassallo, Luca Desira Buttigieg, Steve Borg and Lee Galea. Coaches: Kevin Mamo and Michael Molzahn.

Also accompanying the contingent will be Leandros Calleja and Keith Bartolo who will also be available to the Maltese contingent from the medical side.