The Sportswriters Association will be making use of former media members and national football team players to present the Awards next Sunday during the Finals Night of the annual sporting contests it organises.

The ceremony is being held at the Westin Dragonara Hotel and is being televised live.

In a statement, the GhKS said it was fitting to make use of these veterans as 2007 was the 50th anniversary since Malta played its first ever international football match – against Austria on 24 February, 1957.

To commemorate that occasion, the association has invited Stanley Clews, at that time the Sports Editor of The Times of Malta, Wilfred Asciak, then a sports reporter with Il-Berqa (he had won the Sportsman of the Year awards for 1966 and 1971), Frank Attard, who was The Times’ photographer for the match at the old Gzira Stadium, and former national team players Tony Cauchi and Joe Cini who had also played in that memorable match which Malta lost narrowly 2-3.

This year, it will also be the 10th edition since the John Debattista trophy for young athletes was introduced. The former association treasurer had died in 1997 and this category has been held ever since in his memory.

The Disabled Athletes will be presented with their awards by Anna Calleja who had also won the Sportswoman of the Year award in 1980 and 1981.

The sportswriters, members of the association, are voting this week. Voting closes tomorrow and the counting will be held in the presence of the legal consultant of the Sportswriters Association, a representative of the Maltese Council for Sport and a representative of the Maltese Olympic Committee who represents the national associations and whose discipline will not be included among the finalists.