Sport is the celebration of the human spirit. Sport invigorates the body and the mind. Sport is the quest to unleash potential in pursuit of personal excellence. It deepens the sense of community, fosters lasting friendships and nurtures strong human values.
My passion for sport is authentic, and very personal. It is for this reason that I am incredibly proud to be the catalyst in drafting vibrant proposals for the Nationalist Party electoral programme that will undoubtedly elevate sport to new heights in the nation’s agenda.
Throughout the past eight months I engaged in extensive discussions with various stakeholders in the fields of sport, from administrators, policymakers, coaches and athletes to teachers, media and parents. These proposals address the three fundamental sports pillars of sports excellence, sports for all and the sports industry. The standard of why and how we do things will become a mirror for our attitude and commitment to cultivate a new sporting culture.
At the heart of these proposals sit four simple but primary outcomes: physical and mental health, individual development, social and community development and economic development. It is these outcomes that will define who we fund, what we fund and where our priorities lie in future. This should set the pathway for sport and physical activity for the next decade and beyond.
A PN government will be bolder in exploiting the potential of sport for social good. Through these proposals and others, we will deliver a strategy where we reward those who fulfill ESG criteria by upgrading sport funding, incentivising tax credits, so it is no longer merely about how many people take part, but rather how and why sport can have a meaningful and measurable impact in improving people’s lives. We want to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, regardless of their social background, age or disability.
We will prioritise investments in school sport, youth academies, coaching, sports science and facilities to support as best we can the identification and long-term development of sporting talent. This will involve stronger partnerships between various stakeholders, including those in the private sector.
The setting up of the Malta Campus of Sport Innovation is one of my favourite proposals. This project will drive innovation in the preparation for elite sport performance by producing groundbreaking sport science research, improving the performance potential of athletes and practitioners alike.
This project will seek to deliver excellence in athlete testing, monitoring, training, rehabilitation, talent identification, psychology and coaching. These areas will be progressively evolved by the latest research. The Centre would focus on the key principles of physiology, biomechanics, data analysis, psychology and nutrition. Through such a professional approach, I am sure we will raise the standards of best practice locally and in the Mediterranean region while generating numerous employment opportunities, creating a niche market for Maltese sport and exercise science graduates.
We will strive to bring the best minds, the best practitioners and the key stakeholders together, irrespective of their political allegiances. Sport should never be politicised. Sport should bring us together and for this reason we will endeavour to improve the quality of relationships by giving ownership to key stakeholders. That’s when everyone is on board and consensus can be achieved to implement the shift in sports culture we all crave for.
Christian Micallef is a Nationalist Party candidate on the 1st District