The Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) is expected to take part at next March’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, with its biggest-ever contingent, made up of around 30 athletes.

Addressing the press yesterday morning, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, the MOC president, said that Malta will be taking part in athletics, swimming, table-tennis, shooting, basketball, squash, triathlon, cycling and lawn bowls.

Although not yet official, the Maltese contingent consists of a good number of athletes residing in Australia, but having a Maltese passport which makes them eligible to represent the country, as well as a number of Maltese athletes.

In table-tennis, athletics and swimming it will only be a token representation. In table-tennis, it will be Simon Gerada to represent Malta with some good hopes after his excellent 64th placing in the world championships last year. No athletes have been mentioned so far for the athletics events, but in swimming, it should be Angela Galea, gold medal winner at the Andorra Small Nations Games.

William Chetcuti is the major medal hope from Shooting (Double Trap), where another shooter, the young and promising Rodney Micallef, could possibly make it to the contingent. In Trap, Frans Pace and Stanley Cardona have qualified. There will also be Rebecca Madison (Maltese-Australian), taking part in the women’s trap competition, the first time ever Malta is being represented in the female sector in this sport. But no one qualified to take part in the Skeet and air weapons competitions.

The women’s basketball team is also taking part – they qualified on their own merits. In squash, Joseph Desira, residing in Australia, will be taking part, while there will be six cyclists (five women and one woman). The men are Dave Treacey, Mick Formosa, Jack Schiavone, Etienne Bonello and Roderick Muscat (now riding with a top Belgian club). The woman is Stephania Magri, who is studying in Australia, but is a full time athlete being coached by one of the world’s top coaches, who has won the world title as a coach for 14 times.

Malta will also have six athletes taking part in the Lawn Bowls competitions – singles, doubles and triples.

The MOC president said 72 countries will be taking part in the Games which start on 15 March and come to an end on 27 March.

He also spoke about the Maltese-Australians’ participation and said the MOC thought this was something positive for Maltese sport. “We are now studying together with government the possibility of extending the passport to the third generation of Maltese athletes in the world as we think this should be beneficial to Maltese sport in general. But the decision will remain in government’s hands. We will only be too glad to make our proposals, hping they will be accepted,” he added.

In fact, while in Melbourne, there will be several activities by the Maltese community there, among them a dinner dance in honour of the Maltese contingent, for which there is already a 650-strong booking. While there, the MOC will be doing its utmost to continue with its ‘scouting’ mission to find more Maltese-Australian possibles for future Maltese contingents.

Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco also spoke about the Monaco Games for Small Nations next year and said the athletes already preparing for these Games, have not been forgotten. “The programme is already confirmed. It is not very favourable for us. It will include athletics, swimming, gymnastics, sailing, tennis, table-tennis, volleyball (men and women), basketball (men only), beach volley and bowls. There will be no double Trap, Double Trap and Skeet shooting, just air weapons,” he said.

So far the MOC did not know what amount it would be receiving from the government for this year. “We have received a substantial amount through our international contacts. This makes it possible for us to participate in Melbourne, but it would help a lot were the associations to know beforehand what sum they will be allocated so as to proceed with their preparations,” he said.

Among the other activities of the MOC this year will be the participation in the Island Games in Palermo (22-28 May), the meeting for European Non-Governmental Sports Organisations (ENGSO) between 5 and 7 May, the conversion of the old Headquarters in Valletta into an Olympic Museum, the Olympic Academy and the Hall of Fame, various seminars and the Awards Night, now fixed every year for 8 December.