The Maltese Olympic Committee Centre of Excellence (MCE) was launched yesterday during an activity at its headquarters at Tal-Qroqq during which several athletes were presented with their respective certificates – Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Youth.
This Centre of Excellence has been established in order to provide outstanding Maltese Athletes with access to a number of services, schemes and programmes brought together under one umbrella with one objective: to help them in achieving their ultimate goals and objectives to represent Malta in the international sphere of competitive sport and obtain good results in the international sphere.
The centre devised by the MOC President, Mr. Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, will allow the MOC to centralise and run the athlete services under the responsibility of a newly appointed commission. This apart from the MOC President will include Mr. Joe Cassar, Secretary General, Ms. Marie Therese Zammit, Director of Athlete Support Programmes and Mr. Envic Galea, Director of Youth.
The aim of the MCE commission is to identify the most promising athletes who can represent Malta in the various international sports events and provide them with extra support services in order to help them further upgrade their level. These athletes shall still be entitled to the benefits National Team athletes are entitled to but shall also benefit from other advantages under the Athlete Programmes.
The Centre of Excellence will also tie in the services offered by Functional Diagnostic Laboratory (FDL), which is run by Maltese and Russian specialists in rehabilitation and treatment of sports injuries, physical education and fitness. The FDL offers performance enhancement services including monitoring and testing programs of benefit to all Malta’s national athletes under the Athlete and National Athlete Programmes.
The CONI programme and services will also operate under the Centre and CONI will continue to act as advisers to the Maltese Olympic Committee regarding the implementation and monitoring of the Functional Diagnostic Laboratory.
The MOC Athlete Programmes will now fall under the jurisdiction of the Centre and have been revised to include new categories namely: Platinum and Youth. The Gold, Silver and Bronze will once again be supported by the Malta International Airport p.l.c. Also, shortly to be launched is a programme specifically designed to assist talented youths under the GO Youth Athlete Programme.
A total of 22 athletes from seven disciplines including Athletics, Judo, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis and Gymnastics will benefit under the Athlete Programme; whereas, 12 young athletes from nine various disciplines including Athletics, Squash, Judo, Sailing, Shooting, Cycling, Tennis, Golf and Wrestling will be receiving support under the GO Youth Athlete Scheme.
Bearing in mind the excellent results obtained by Maltese Athletes in the last 12 years, the Centre will continue to ensure that the best coaching, expertise and environment is provided to aid athletes in their preparations.
Such investment and programmes by the Maltese Olympic Committee will be contributing to the development of sport, raising the levels and training of athletes for top level competition and Team Malta representation at the various Games under the auspices of the MOC including the Games of the Small States of Europe, Mediterranean Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.
Athlete programmes
The Maltese Olympic Committee in its aim towards encouraging the development of and assisting of Malta’s professional athletes; have devised a number of programmes which are conductive so as to foster a better all round preparation and participation of these athletes.
These programmes are:
1. Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Athlete Programmes
2. Youth Athlete Programme
3. National Athlete Programme
The Maltese Olympic Committee Athlete Support Programme was established in 2001, as an important sports development initiative which has supported and provided funds to over 100 athletes from various individual Olympic Sports. The objective of this scheme is to encourage gifted elite and aspirant athletes to commit themselves fully to their chosen sport and thus nurture their potential and performances, thus increasing Malta’s chances of winning medals.
These competitions and training camps are made possible with the assistance of the Athlete Support programmes of the Maltese Olympic Committee and also through Malta International Airport plc who are specifically supporting the MOC Athlete Support programmes for the Gold, Silver and Bronze categories and GO who are specifically supporting the GO Youth Athlete programme.
Functional Diagnostic Laboratory
Meanwhile, the functional diagnostic laboratory aims to:
Provide and monitor highly specialist training methodologies to high performance athletes;
Provide concentrated rehabilitation and treatment allowing the injured sports person to regain full fitness in the shortest but safest possible time;
Assess and devise fitness programmes for sports people and other patients
Promote the importance of sports medicine including diet, nutrition and exercise.
Testing and Services include:
BOD POD Body Composition Analysis
VO2 max (Maximal Oxygen Uptake)
Blood Lactate Analysis
HR Training Zones and Training Intensities
Dynamic Bike Fit and Treadmill Analysis
Sub-maximal Testing
Anaerobic Power and Capacity
Nutritional Analysis
?Scientifically-Based Training Programs correction
Individual Consultations
Training Log Reviews
Speed of reaction and Explosive Power Analysis
Bio Chemical substrate Analysis
Pulmonary (Spirometry) Analysis
Muscle Strength and endurance (upper and lower) Analysis
The MOC intends to keep monitoring the results and also keep an eye on the training schedules of all athletes as it gives no guarantee to anyone that they will remain in their respective categories if they do not show progress.
The MOC president said they wanted to see that Malta will move to the next step in sport. He said: “Our target of finishing fourth in the Games for European Small States in Malta has been achieved already. Now we are looking forward to achieving that place away from home. We are working on it and we are hopeful that our promising athletes will continue on the success track which has been registered during the past 12 years.
Farrugia Sacco said the MOC was expecting better results in future, especially because of this Centre of Excellence. The criteria for athletes to be selected for the various categories are based on past results and their potential, but special attention will be given to those taking part in the hope of obtaining prestigious results.
He emphasised that the MOC will never tolerate athletes who test positive for doping. “We want to reach the higher levels. These athletes have to be role models. If not they have no place in the MOC family,” he said.
General Secretary Joe Cassar, Ms Marie Therese Zammit and Envic Galea, also addressed those present at yesterday’s activity.
Cassar confirmed that the MOC was intent on improving the already excellent services it offers to all athletes. He added that so far individual schemes were in effect, but in future, teams may also start being considered to enter such schemes.
Ms Zammit told the athletes that those selected to form part of the schemes will all be under special observation, adding that the MOC was making sure that all of them are well known in public circles. “The MOC believes that the country’s top athletes deserve more recognition by the public,” she said.
And Envic Galea emphasized the fact that by including Youth in these Schemes, it was evidence that the MOC was planning to build its foundations for the future on youth. “We are doing our best to find a number of athletes who can secure Malta’s future in sports. Fifteen federations have sent us a lit of 68 potential talented athletes from amongst whom we have to make a selection. This is a long-term athlete development programme which normally takes about 10 years to be concluded,” he said.
He also said that it would be a great honour for any athlete in future to have formed part of this Centre of Excellence.