Former Basketball general secretary, Frank Camilleri, who last week tendered his resignation after almost 19 years in the post, thinks that the sport in Malta is still healthy and there are positives after all the recent turmoil.

In a long letter sent to the media yesterday, Camillleri wanted to state the facts which led to the resignations of five members of the Malta Basketball Association Executive Committee and their replacements.

According to the former secretary, the proposal for a second foreigner in the Maltese league brought forward by the President’s Council last June, was declined by all the clubs, despite agreeing in principle and rejected the change in registrations of another foreign player as from this season.

It was only when the season had started that Siggiewi club president David Agius requested the MBA to grant his club permission to sign a second foreigner on the point that present rules do not conform with EU rules.

The Basketball Association refused this and Agius’ motion was defeated in a November meeting. But David Agius later challenged the Association to allow Siggiewi to sign foreigner Kodomaris.

Siggiewi lodged a protest after the Luxol match played on 29 January and the MBA called a meeting to establish the persons eligible to stand on the Appeals Board.

A new Appeals Board heard Luxol’s appeal to the previous sentence delivered by the disciplinary commission.

A Protests Board was formed to hear Siggiewi’s protest but the result of the said match was to stand.

The MBA stopped the men’s competition till all the boards were set up but when all was settled, Siggiewi, Depiro and Loyola refused to resume playing.

In view of this situation, Frank Camilleri said that the clubs took an initiative to onforward various amendmends to the Association statute and these were approved during the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 3 March.

Meanwhile five members of the Executive Committee resigned and five new members were approved on Thursday.

Jean Paul Sammut is the new secretary of the Association.

Frank Camilleri finally highlighted the achievements Basketball has made since he went into administration, especially in the women’s sector.

He thanked all those who supported him and the Association during these years and wished the new members on the Committee the best of luck for the good of the game in Malta