William Chetcuti’s winning of the title of World Champion in Double Trap Shooting in Beijing has been followed by the most satisfactory performance of our athletes in Liechtenstein, who once again made us feel proud.

What is encouraging is not only the total of 29 medals, of which eight were gold, and the fact that 44 athletes from a contingent of 60 returned home with a medal, but the fact that, complementing the medal table, our athletes registered no fewer than 16 national records and a number of personal bests, which on a good number of occasions resulted in us coming in fourth place. This clearly indicates an overall improvement and makes the achievement the best result we have obtained so far when competing in these games outside Malta.

I had the opportunity to watch some of our athletes in action during their training sessions just before they left and was then lucky enough to watch some of them in action during the games. I was impressed by their enthusiasm and the effort they made. Our squash players were outstanding, and while I did not get a chance to watch our athletes competing, their results on the field were also wonderful. Team Malta also won medals in tennis and table tennis. The medals we won in swimming, our first ever in these games, might have been a surprise to many, but sitting next to national coach Andy Colbourn I realised that he was silently confident about his swimmers all the way. As my time was limited, and my main intention was basically to show my support, I did not plan to stay long watching any particular discipline but I felt I had to continue watching Marcon Bezzina’s brave show in judo. She did not win a medal, as she had hoped, but she competed bravely all along and to the very end, despite being injured in the first bout. She wore the national colours with dignity and pride and made us proud as a result. We also almost made it in beach volleyball, and did not make it in shooting or cycling, but this does not mean that our team did not give it their all.

Nothing just happens. This success was the result of our athletes training hard, day in, day out, with unfailing determination under the direction of similarly dedicated coaches and the Olympic Committee’s director of sport Mark Cutajar. Well done to him and his colleagues. The commitment of the national federations and the Malta Olympic Committee is also to be commended. Their sterling work, and the unfailing support of the Malta Sports Council (KMS) through no fewer than 25 sports schemes and the investment of millions of euros in new facilities bodes well for the future. Needless to say, we have to keep working together and sharing a common vision.

The Future of the Games of the Small States of Europe

The Games of the Small States of Europe have grown considerably over the years and have certainly helped the member countries. The organisation of the games themselves every two years, with generally balanced multi-disciplinary competitions, has enabled considerable development in sport in smaller countries.

Over the years, the various host countries have constructed more and better sporting facilities that have ultimately served for a much longer period – and for a much wider purpose – than just the holding of the games. The athletes from various small states have extended their targets and improved their performance with some of them even gaining success in high-level competitions such as world championships and the Olympic Games.

The Sports Ministers of the Small States of Europe have held a meeting to reflect on the future relevance of the games, now that we are fast approaching the end of the second cycle and the start of a third cycle from 2017.

From the outset, I confirmed that the Government of Malta supports the continuation of these games. We believe that they are not only an opportunity for our athletes but that they also help us in our mission to instil a wider sporting culture amongst our citizens and also represent an occasion for national unity. Nonetheless, I pondered over a couple of points. Just before leaving for the meeting, I had taken the liberty of speaking to Malta’s own Bertie Muscat who, 30 years ago, was the originator of the idea of holding games for the small countries of Europe. The original objective was to provide a platform for small nations, which otherwise would have little or no chance in other international competitions, to compete as equals. So logically, when we speak of an opportunity being given to small countries, we also speak of an opportunity being given to a limited pool of athletes, necessarily smaller than those of our bigger neighbours.

So the original intention, as envisaged by Bertie, was crystal clear: to provide an opportunity for sports development for both small nations and their athletes. Now, the first point to ponder is whether the games are still pursuing the original objective or are we, perhaps, moving away from it?

The issue of foreign athletes and their eligibility has been a major bone of contention since the inception of these games. Back in the mid-1980s, it was apparently felt that foreign athletes could be vital to raise the standard and stature of the Games. But three decades later, is this still the case, or is the more or less unrestrained inclusion of such athletes affecting the true spirit of the games? Are we perhaps falling victim to the medal table while gaining a very short-term advantage? Is it now time to limit the participation of foreign athletes and thereby promote more local talent?

My second suggestion for these games is to further build upon the strong bond that has developed over the years between the small states of Europe. This could be further enhanced and new ways of cooperating could be fostered for the benefit of our sport and our societies. In this regard, Malta supported the idea of exploring the possibility of a Cultural Festival for Small Nations. The creation of a Youth Games for the Small States of Europe, maybe as a post-games event or in the year between the regular games, may be another way of increasing cooperation. It may provide our young athletes with further exposure to international competitions and greater self-confidence.

The 14th Games for the Small States of Europe held in Liechtenstein are now over and the wonderful experience will certainly remain imprinted on the memories of the whole contingent. I simply hope that these games, like other outstanding achievements, will now serve as an inspiration for the future of sport in Malta. I am confident that our current crop of young athletes is determined and ambitious and we will hopefully keep improving our national targets in the years to come.

Clyde Puli is Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport