SportMalta Awards to be held on March 13

This year’s edition of the SportMalta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali will be held on Saturday, March 13, organisers announced yesterday.

Details of this year’s ceremony were given during a news conference and organisers announced that this year’s event will be held in a different and more restricted basis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Executive Committee of the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports took in consideration the current sporting situation in Malta, particularly since March and December of last year, and felt that it would be wise to ask SportMalta to still hold this year’s edition despite the pandemic. 

“Eventually, after our request was accepted by both SportMalta and the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport, preparations started immediately so that this year’s edition will be held to honour the best results in 2020,” the organisers said in a statement

“The decision to hold this year’s edition was taken also as a sign of respect for those associations and federations who did all they could to see their athletes remain active and where they could also hosted the national championships despite the pandemic.”

This year’s award ceremony will be organised under all strict measures of mitigation against COVID-19 and only 90 guests will be allowed to be present, including the finalists and a small representation of officials along with sponsors and journalists.

In the last few days, federations and associations had the chance to submit their nominations for the traditional categories, namely Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, Young male athlete and Young female athlete, team of the year, coach of the year, and official of the year. 

“From now on, the organising committee will scrutinise all nominations and after a voting procedure from the members of the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, the list of finalists, which this year will be limited to three, will be made for all the categories.

The press conference was addressed by Clifton Grima, the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport, Mark Cutajar, SportMalta chief executive, Sandro Micallef, president of the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports and Luciano Busuttil, chairman of SportMalta.

Maltco Lotteries, Atlas Insurance and Bank of Valletta are the sponsors in this year’s edition.