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Sports Facilities in
Malta
Apart from enjoying a wealth of history
and culture and an ideal climate, the majority of the inhabitants
of the Islands either practise, or else follow, a particular
sport. Since the early 70s'a substantial amount of small facilities
have mushroomed throughout the Maltese Islands. These 'small'
facilities mainly catered for club level usage for the games
of basketball, bowls (the Maltese game of bocci), football,
and waterpolo.
During recent years the Government together with the Malta Sports
Council (Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport), which is the Government’s
executive arm in the local sport sphere, have embarked on the
construction of National sporting facilities.
These have included the National Football Stadium (Ta'Qali)
with its natural and synthetic turf pitches, swimming pool,
fitness centre, training and accommodation facilities; an Athletic
Stadium and tartan track (Marsa) for athletics, archery, rugby,
baseball, softball and netball; the Basketball Pavilion (Ta'Qali)
- also used for dance sport; an enclosed swimming pool Complex
(Marsascala); a horse racing track (Marsa) with a new flood-lighting
system; a fully mechanised shooting range (Bidnija) with clay-pigeon
(olympic trap, double trap, skeet), and fixed-target shooting
(air pistol, air rifle); a hockey complex (Corradino) to IHF
standards; and an indoor sports hall in Gozo featuring basketball,
volleyball and table-tennis.
In 1993, the National Swimming Pool Complex adjacent to the
University of Malta was inaugurated. Originally the complex
housed a heated fresh-water Olympic-size pool for swimming and
a diving, with the local waterpolo game also moved to the complex.
Recently it has been upgraded considerably with the construction
of two international standard squash courts and a fully equipped
fitness centre.
The Government has also partnered up with existing sporting
venues at a National and Club level for the improvement of a
number of these facilities. In the last four years there have
been intensive projects, not only building new facilities but
also refurbishing existing ones, together with the installation
of new equipment to ensure that all amenities being used for
the Games of the Small States of Europe 2003 would be according
to International standards.
One can boast that such level was reached to the satisfaction
of all involved. In these last few years Government has seriously
embarked on the improvement of the national facilities still
under his care and jurisdiction and also the building of new
sports complexes. This has lead to the increase and development
in facilities at Club and on a National Level. The present Government
also committed itself in its 1998 electoral manifest to built
three regional sports complexes based on the successful Gozo
Sports Complex.
To date two Regional Complex's have been set up: the Cottonera
Complex in the Southern part of the island and at Karwija in
the island's centre. Plans for the third regional complex are
being drawn up for submission to the Malta Environment and Planning
Authority. The Government has also joined ranks with the University
of Malta for the construction of an indoor multipurpose sports
hall within the University Campus, not only to service University
needs but also for the National Sports Organisations to host
their sports calendar.
The complex has an Olympic-size swimming pool for waterpolo
and swimming, a fitness centre and caters for handball, table-tennis,
squash, badminton, and dance sport. It is hoped that such modern
sports facilities will not only draw the younger generations
into practising a healthy sport discipline, entice more athletes
to take up sport as a profession and stimulate the older ranks
to continue or commence practising sports, but also encourage
participation on an international level.
For further information:
The Malta Sports Council Tel: (356) 21 343 006
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