Twenty six athletes (not including those forming part of teams) have so far obtained the Minimum Qualifying Standards (MQSs) and are therefore already eligible to take part in the forthcoming Games for European Small States in Cyprus.

The Maltese Olympic Committee yesterday gave an update of what has been happening in the past few weeks with new Director of Sports Mark Cutajar naming those who have already qualified.

Cutajar said most of the decisions had not been taken by him – he has only been in office the past two months. He also appealed to all athletes to take the example of veteran shooter Frans Pace who has qualified, adding that he is exemplary in his commitment.

Those who have already qualified are the following:

Athletics – James D’Alfonso and Giselle Camilleri

Judo – (Women) Tiziana Apap, Suzannah Vella, Joanna Camilleri and Marcon Bezzina; (Men) - Chris Law, Brent Law, James Falzon

Shooting – Double Trap - William Chetcuti, Trap - Frans Pace

Sailing (Optimist) – Nicole Manduca, Thomas Zammit Tabona, Edward Fleri Soler, Karl Miggiani

Table Tennis – Simon Gerada, Daniel Bajada

Swimming – Nicole Cremona, Nikki Muscat

Mountain Bike – Etienne Bonello, Maurice Formosa, Marie Claire Aquilina

Tennis – (Men) Matthew Asciak and Daniel Ceross; (Women) Kim Cassar and Elaine Genovese. The four tennis players, however, still have to be approved by the MOC.

The women’s and men’s basketball teams as well as the men’s beach volley teams will also be taking part in the Cyprus Games.

The Maltese beach volley team will certainly be including a Maltese Australian with the name of Daniel Gauci. He is expected to arrive in the next few days along with the foreign coach so as to start the final preparations with another athlete still to be selected from among the local boys.

It is also reliably understood that in Cyprus, Malta will have no women’s table-tennis players taking part in the individual team and, of course, neither in the teams event.

Cutajar added that in swimming, Ryan Gambin will definitely be out of these Games. Nobody seems to know his whereabouts at present. However, there is still a good chance of Maltese Australian Madeleine Scerri becoming eligible to take part. Cutajar said the MOC had been informed that she has re-started training vigorously as she intends to qualify to take part.

Cutajar also said that there was still some hope that some local female swimmers might make it, but confirmed that the male swimmers were far away from obtaining qualification.

He added that no gymnast from the young squad had managed to obtain qualification so far, but with some competitions still to be held, the MOC has not yet closed the door on the possibility of having some of them joining the contingent.

Cutajar also confirmed that Malta will not be taking part in volleyball.

Athletes have a chance till 15 May to obtain their MQSs which are considered by most as very hard. All those who qualify will join the Maltese contingent for Cyprus.

The Chef de Mission for these Games, Vince Scicluna, who is also MOC Director of Marketing, said the competitions will be held in Nicosia, Limassol and Makarias.

He added preparations had intensified in the past few weeks with some contracts being signed with the TV stations – PBS, One TV and Net TV – as well as with Urban Jungle for the athletes’ outfits and Bortex for the officials’ uniforms.

He said the bulk of the contingent will be accommodated at the Hilton Park Hotel, just outside Nicosia, while the rest will be accommodated at the Posedonia Hotel in Limassol.

The MOC president, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, thanked all the federations, the athletes and the officials for working so hard to attain the levels required to participate in such Games which have reached high levels.

He said: “The Games have now become much more expensive. The accommodation is undoubtedly the major problem, as a twin room will cost us 140 euros a day, but it is the MOC’s responsibility to see how it can generate the funds required to send its contingent to the Cyprus Games.”

He also made it clear once again that all those who qualify or perhaps attain acceptable standards will be in the Maltese contingent. “We will not go back on our word. I assure everyone that those who deserve to represent Malta will be at the Cyprus Games. But we cannot take anyone, whoever it might be, for a holiday. Nowadays we take part in these Games to compete and we also wish to see our athletes gaining success, not just for their own sake, but also for their country’s sake. The MQSs have to be respected. We have to be competitive,” he said.

Farrugia Sacco also repeated the threat that the MOC will tolerate no athletes testing positive for doping. “Those found guilty will have to forget all about the Maltese Olympic Committee. We cannot afford to have such athletes among our ranks,” he added.

The MOC president finally said that we all have to be prudent to get as much satisfaction as possible from this edition of the Games.