Ten sport associations including badminton, chess, dressage, golf, beach volley, karate, fencing, pool and canoeing will take part in the 4th edition of the Mediterranean Friendship games which will be held in Malta over the 19th to the 21st November.

During a press conference to announce this edition of the games which are a partnership between local sporting associations and CONI in Sicily, Malta Olympic Committee CEO Joe Cassar said that these games are important for those associations who do not normally get the chance to participate in large multi team events.

Mr Cassar explained that the local associations were in charge of the venues for the games while the MOC was responsible for accommodation and other travel costs such as trophies and medals. He stressed however that all athletes who were coming to Malta would be paying for the passage to and from the island. The contingent coming from Sicily would consist of about 60 athletes, Mr Cassar added.

MOC President Lino Farrugia Sacco commented on the scope of the games which was basically to allow other federations to experience the concept of games. This event is intended to give space to those associations who do not have the level to participate and qualify for Olympic Games standard, he added.

Justice Farrugia Sacco explained that notwithstanding this, the standards for participation were as high as in any MOC event and would also focus on athletic discipline. He also confirmed that international rules will be applied to all competitions adding that one association in particular (which he refused to name), was not allowed to take part due to some petty but repeated disciplinary infringements by some of its members.

There seemed to be some confusion as to the actual venues and times of the ten sporting disciplines but Mr Cassar confirmed that further details will be announced at a later stage. The dressage event will be held at the Maghtab Riding Club whilst the fencing competition will be taking place at the Mtarfa Sports Pavilion. The Triathlon will be run across the Coast Road and the shooting part will be at Kennedy Grove. Some events such as canoeing and karate will be severely curtailed due to a lack in participation, association representatives told the press.