Opening keynote speech: Friday, 27 October – Women, leadership and sport: an international perspective, by Dr Anita White
Dr Anita White will set the context for the seminar by placing sport in the wider context of women in leadership and decision-making positions in different walks of life, including politics, the media and education.
This will include an overview of the UN position on women in decision-making, followed by a more sport-specific perspective including international policies and calls for greater involvement of women in sports leadership. The effectiveness of the IOC’s targets as a way of implementing gender equality policy will be discussed, based on original research conducted by Dr White and colleagues from Loughborough University, UK. The challenges to bringing about cultural change in the leadership of sport will be highlighted and successful strategies for challenging the existing gender order will be shared.
First workshop – Saturday, 28 October: Bringing about cultural change: finding solutions and taking practical measures
Following on from Mrs Marie Therese Zammit’s presentation on the overall situation of women’s sport leadership in Malta, Anita White will lead a workshop in which participants will analyse the organisational culture and gender in their own, specific organisations and identify the most appropriate and practical ways of bringing about cultural change.
Gender Equality in Malta: how does sport fit in?, by Dr Janet Mifsud, Commissioner, National Commission of Equality for Men and Women
The promotion of equality among men and women in Malta is a complex and dynamic issue that is intricately woven into all aspects of society and social relations. NCPE focuses on those issues of gender that constrain and disadvantage men or women in Malta, and identifies appropriate action in order to remove or minimise those issues. Sport is one such important socialisation process and a gender policy in sport can have a large ripple effect, ensuring more effective provision and greater quality across all areas of Maltese society.
Several studies have shown that there are key differences for women and men in sport, including different resources in terms of time, money and information; different patterns and rates of participation; childcare and safety and security. An integrated approach to provision in all of these areas will create synergies and more efficient outcomes.
Good gender policies and practices in sport will impact favourably on all participants, women and men, and will bring benefits to the organisation that uses them effectively. The challenge is to develop practical strategies for bringing about these objectives and what it is possible and relevant to do within the national context. The way forward will only be successful if there is also gender sensitisation of policymakers, community leaders, legislators, NGOs and the media.
This presentation will give an overview of NCPE’s remit in raising public awareness about gender equality and how to tackle sexual harassment in all areas of society, including sport. The procedures and guidelines of the NCPE complaints sub-committee, and its relevance to the world of sport, will also be described.
The forthcoming National Seminar: Women and Leadership in Sport: Barriers and Solutions, organised by the Women in Sport Commission (WIS), will take place on 27 and 28 October at the Grand Hotel Mercure San Antonio, St Paul’s Bay. At this seminar issues regarding the role of women in leadership positions in Sport in Malta will be discussed. Those wishing to participate in this seminar and requiring a copy of the detailed programme, should contact the Malta Olympic Committee on Tel. 2133-2801 or email [email protected] for more information. The registration fee for the seminar is Lm11 (which includes seminar material, lunch and coffee breaks) and Lm7 for students (limited number of spaces available). More information can be found on the MOC website www.nocmalta.org
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Association news: Malta Volleyball Association
David Bonnici
Media and Marketing
The Malta Volleyball Association is presently concentrating its efforts on a number of important sectors. Apart from promoting the sport through the local media, the association is focusing its attention on national leagues, beach volley and the running of the volleyball school, which is aimed to create awareness of the sport among the younger generation. The present administration has also reinstated the national squads, as these can be considered vital for the success of the sport in Malta.
The Malta Volleyball Association was founded in 1965 and as from 26 July 2006, David Falzon became its new president. Mr Falzon, who has over 21 years in the local volleyball scene as both a player and a coach, is sure to make a real contribution to the association, which has been fully restructured since his appointment. Each club is now responsible for a sector in the association and this ensures that its day-to-day running is spread evenly.
National leagues started on 23 September, with the Ghaqda Kittieba Sports Cup, followed by the Super Cup, National League and National Cup. National leagues are composed of six male and six female teams, and matches are played every weekend at the Cottonera Sports Complex. In previous seasons, the female section has been dominated by Paola Hibs Candy, while in the male category, top teams include Kerygma, Fleur de Lys and, recently, Aloysians Lipton. As part of their pre-season training, Hibs Candy have taken part in a number of tournaments in the UK, while Aloysians Lipton attended a training camp in Italy.
Both male and female national teams have started training again after a period of inactivity as preparations are underway for Malta to face an Italian club in December at the Cottonera Sports Complex. Mark Hili and Elizabeth Mariani have been nominated as coaches for the male and female teams respectively. Both coaches have many years experience in the game. The under-18 national selection will be starting training in the imminent future.
The national squads past successes include a bronze medal at the European Qualifications Group C in 2000, a bronze medal in the Small States of Europe Games in San Marino in 2002 and another bronze in the Boys FISEC group held in Malta.
In October 2006, David Falzon, together with the association’s secretary-general Tony Sammut, attended the European general secretaries meeting held in Luxembourg. Mr Falzon will also be attending the FIVB annual general assembly in Tokyo, Japan.
Two Maltese officials, Antonello Calleja and Frankie Tanti, have recently obtained the status of full international referees from the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). A third referee, Marvic Micallef, is following in their footsteps and will soon also be gaining full status. In December 2006, Mr Micallef will be controlling a number of matches in Tenerife, Spain, with the national youth teams of Spain, Estonia, France, Portugal and Romania. Mr Calleja will be controlling top matches in Croatia with clubs from Bosnia, Belarus, Croatia and Slovenia participating.
For more information, the association can be contacted at [email protected] or by visiting www.maltavolleyball.org
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MIA Olympic Special – What’s On
Thursday, 26 October on TVM at 5pm, Friday, 27 October on E22 at 9pm (rpt), Sunday, 29 October on E22 at 10am (rpt) and Monday, 30 October on E22 at 2.30pm (rpt) will feature the following:
Athlete Profile
Etienne Bonello, 29 years old, Malta’s current cycling national champion. He has been practicing this sport for the last 12 years and has represented Malta at the Games of the Small States of Europe, the Mediterranean Games and the Commonwealth Games. He is also the winner of 12 national titles. Find out more about Etienne Bonello in this interview, which is produced by university communication students Lara Schembri and Daniel Vella.
What is Archery
Archery has existed for thousands of years, and was crucial for man’s very survival in prehistoric times. Over the ages it has been extensively used as a very effective fighting weapon. Eventually, archery evolved as an Olympic sport and is practiced by at least five million archers all over the world. Find out more about the sport of archery in Malta, produced by university communication students Malcolm Zammit and Vanessa Attard.
Featured Event
71st National Chess Finals 2006, held over a number of days, came to an end on 19 October. It was organised by the Malta Chess Federation at the Farsons Visitors’ Lounge in Mriehel.
Highlighted Events
Athletics MAAA Road Running League 1 – Zebbug, which took place on 22 October; Cricket: Marsa SCC v. Ashford CC which took place on 22 October, organised by the Malta Cricket Association at the Marsa Sports Complex and the Ghaqda Kittieba Sports Women’s and Men’s Finals organised by the Malta Volleyball Association on 21 and 22 October at the Cottonera Sports Complex.
Schedule available every week on www.nocmalta.org and The Malta Independent newspaper every Tuesday.
Produced in collaboration with E22 and University of Malta, Centre for Communication and Technologies (CCT)
Video Production Students (Video3 – 2006)
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Athlete Profile: Dermot Galea
Name: Dermot Galea
Age: 24
Sport: Triathlon
Discipline: Olympic distance, long distance
Club: Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club
Started: St Paul’s Missionary College, Rabat, 1996
Job: 4th year B.Ed student at University Of Malta (PE and Italian), part-time coaching (BTA Level 1 coach and Level 1 fitness trainer)
Personal Bests:
Sprint Distance Triathlon: 59mins 03sec
Olympic Distance: 2hrs 00mins 33sec
5km Run: 16mins 17sec
10km Run: 34mins 55sec
Achievements:
Six times National Triathlon Champion: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
Six times National Triathlete of the Year: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2006.
Five times National Duathlon Champion: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006
2nd Overall: Birkirkara St Joseph Triathlon Series, 2006
2nd Overall: B’Kara St Joseph Open Sea Swim Series, 2006
Twice Runner up: Time Trial (Cycling) Champion 2004, 2005
2nd: Time Trial Champion-ships (Cycling), 2005
3rd: National Championships (Cycling), 2005
Malta Cycling Champion 2004
2nd: Time Trial Championships (Cycling), 2004
1st: International Royal Windsor Triathlon (UK), 2003
1st: Leybourne Lakes mid-week Triathlon Series (UK), 2003
2nd: Sportsman of the Year Awards 2002
1st: Junior International Windsor Triathlon (UK), 2002
1st: Junior Cross Country Champion (Athletics) 2001
1st: Junior Brighton International Triathlon (UK) 2001
1st: Maltese Junior Athlete of the Year 1998 (John Debattista Award)
3rd: Sportsman of the Year Awards 1998
Twice National Junior Triathlon Champion: 1996, 1997
National Youth Champion 1500m, 1996
National Cadets Champion 600m 1994
Winner of various road-
running races in youth and junior category
Other
Represented Malta at the following Games:
World Triathlon Champion-ships, Lausanne, Switzerland 1998
European Triathlon Champion-ships, Funchal Portugal 1999
Commonwealth Games, Manchester 2002 (Triathlon)
Games of the Small States of Europe, Andorra 2005 (Cycling)
World University Triathlon Championships, Lausanne Switzerland 2006 (Triathlon)
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‘Malta u Dinja tal-Hames Crieki’
Next Sunday at 1:05pm on 103FM (RTK), this programme will feature the Malta Weightlifting Association, Body-building national champions Ralph Decelis and Kenneth Camilleri and Dr Lucienne Attard with medical advice.