It is appropriate now to take a look back at the past year and forward to the one that has just started which, we all hope, will be more successful than the one just finished.

The year 2005 is past history, but I feel we had a lot more to shout about than the usual disappointments. It was a year dominated mostly by Malta’s participation in the Games for the European Small States in Andorra.

Malta also took part in the Mediterranean Games in Almeria in Spain, in the qualifying rounds of the World Cup 2006, world European snooker events and many other competitions, at home and abroad, which is impossible to mention in such short space.

Yet, results were quite satisfying considering our limitations.

But the best results, apart of course from the gold medal winners at Andorra, were those obtained by our young shooter William Chetcuti, the Maltese national snooker team and Alex Borg, the local snooker champion, as well as the Maltese national football team.

For Chetcuti it was a memorable year. In 2005, he not only confirmed himself as the top double trap shooter at the Small Nations Games (after his success in 2003 in Malta), but also confirmed his great ability in the discipline by finishing second best in the world championship in Belgrade. No mean feat being the second world best shooter at 20 years of age! No wonder that he is being given special attention by the Malta Olympic Committee, something which has been praised by almost everyone connected with local sport. It is obvious that Chetcuti needs all the support he can get from all quarters if he is to be successful in the next Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, China.

But it was not Chetcuti alone who brought successful results to Malta the past year. In snooker we again had more than one satisfying moment. In Poland, Alex Borg became the European Champion, another great feat, and together with Guzi Grech and Simon Zammit, he formed the Malta team which won the European Championship held in Malta.

It is a pity that these three sportsmen refused to attend the MOC Sports Awards ceremony last month as they felt they were not being supported financially as they should have been. It is a fact that snooker is still a non-Olympic sport and, as such, the MOC still does not have the financial means to assist these gentlemen more than it does at present. But it is evident that on most occasions, the association also does not have the means to fund the players’ participation in European and world tournaments itself and therefore, to take part, they have to fork out most of the expenses from their own pockets.

This is certainly not the way forward and something must be done to remedy the situation.

Let us all work hard together to find ways and means of how to help the plight of our most successful sportsmen. The MOC has opened the door by putting William Chetcuti on a pedestal of his own. I know that the snooker players, and possibly a few others, are not expecting the same treatment. But one expects that such an association, which has been providing several satisfactions to local sport over so many years, is given the treatment it deserves. Times have changed and it is possibly time for the MOC to revise its financial policy vis-à-vis its associations.

During the year 2005, there were also two ‘big’ results obtained by the Maltese national football team. Two home draws against none other than Croatia and Bulgaria, two teams well above the rung occupied by Malta in the UEFA ladder. Such results brought about a lot of joy in the football camp after so many disappointing results in the previous years. These showed that the Maltese are still able to rise to the occasion and that we still have good elements in the local football field.

Of course, there were many other good results obtained by other performers from the various associations. And these will also serve as a base for motivation to do even better this year.

But as I said before, the MOC has to revise its financial policy as it did in the case of William Chetcuti. Our Olympic Committee has already done a lot towards improving the plight of local sportsmen and sportswomen – the results in 2005 speak for themselves.

But I feel something has to be worked out with the government, through the Maltese Council for Sport to improve the financial situation of local sport. Yes, even the government has to continue contributing its share for the sake of the country’s athletes. The amount handed every year to the Malta Olympic Committee is substantial, but today, it is evident that such a sum is simply not enough.

I believe, that apart from the usual sum voted for sport in the budget, a special fund should be allocated to Malta’s most successful sportsmen. I advocate a system whereby our most successful athletes are compensated for their achievements at top levels, at least by funding their expenses, as was the case in snooker at the end of last year. This should also help to motivate our athletes in doing their very best to represent the country in an honourable way.

If we are to reach our aims in the field of sport in 2006, everyone must work hand in hand – together. The government, the KMS and the MOC should all cooperate to see Malta getting more improved results in 2006.

No greetings, just more insults

How disgusting it was last Monday at the Stadium hearing supporters of Valletta and Birkirkara insulting each other during the later stages of their football match.

Not even at this time of the year could they spare a moment to extend greetings to each other. Such is the menaltiy of the local football fans these days!

It was clear that the City fans provoked the insulting behaviour of both sets of fans. It was uncalled for as was the response from the Stripes fans. Both sections are to be condemned.

I have already written a few weeks ago about such behaviour which would keep away many from attending local football matches.

During the past week, I was pleased to hear MFA president Dr Joe Mifsud saying that it was time for the MFA Council to discuss the problem seriously, even if it may mean clubs losing points due to such behaviour from their fans.

Well done and please do it quickly.

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