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MFA strategy discussed at meeting with Opposition Leader

Published: 25-02-2021 14:40
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The health, social and educational benefits of football alongside the sporting and competitive dimension were at the centre of the discussion during a meeting between Malta Football Association President Bjorn Vassallo and Dr Bernard Grech, the Leader of the Opposition, held this morning at the Malta FA offices. Highlighting the key projects and objectives included in the newly-launched Malta FA strategy with the aim of taking Maltese football to the next level, Vassallo stressed the need for the authorities and the political parties to fully support football and sports in general, adopting a bipartisan approach. “The Malta FA has been a catalyst in the local sports landscape, especially in areas such as commercialisation, integrity and the regulatory aspect,” Vassallo said. “Football is not only what we see on the pitch, its benefits extend beyond the competitive element, with the social return on investment impacting significantly on the social, educational, health and performance elements, thus reaching significant levels as underlined by a study UEFA conducted on behalf of the Malta FA recently. All this reflects on the well-being of our society because football is good for the country. “We have just embarked on this strategy which is aimed at strengthening the social aspect, improving the Malta FA’s and member clubs’ governance structures and as well as raising the domestic standards and the nation’s competitive level in international football. This is a long-term process – we know where we are but we are determined to attain the set objectives because we are confident that we have a serious plan and with the involvement of all the stakeholders we can grow.” TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTVassallo insisted that, as Malta FA President, he is determined to leave a legacy in the technical sector, especially in terms of development of players and the long-term improvement of the national teams. “For 10 years, the Malta FA, made a huge investment to improve the local football infrastructure which was crucial for Maltese football, especially at club level, to start moving forward,” Vassallo said. “As Malta FA President, my main priority lies in improving the technical aspect of football, which represents our core business, and ensuring a sustainable model for football.” SUPPORT FOR MALTA FA STRATEGYEndorsing the Malta FA strategy, Dr Grech said that this document shows that the Association is committed to achieving something special. “The strategy is also aimed at giving every boy and girl in this country an equal opportunity to show their abilities and fulfil their potential along the path to a successful sporting career,” Dr Grech said. “This philosophy should be central to our efforts not just in sports.” Dr Grech said that Nationalist Party supports this strategy which centres around the principle of sustainability in sports. At the end of the meeting, Dr Grech, who was accompanied by Clyde Puli, the Opposition Spokesman for Education and Sport, and Christian Micallef, Chairperson of TimSport PN, was was shown around the Malta FA facilities at the National Stadium, the Training Grounds and the Centenary Stadium. The Malta FA Delegation for the meeting with Dr Grech included General Secretary Dr Angelo Chetcuti, Vice-Presidents Ludovico Micallef and Dr Matthew Paris, and Treasurer Ivan Mizzi.