Professional sport starts path towards return to normality on May 10

Non-contact sport competitions and contact disciplines training given green light

Maltese sport will start to get back into normality as from May 10 as non-contact sport competitions at elite level have been given the green light to resume without spectators while training for contact sports will also return.

These restrictions were announced by Prime Minister Robert Abela during a news conference on Sunday in the presence of Health Minister Dr Chris Fearne and Superintendent for Health Profs. Charmaine Gauci.

Organised sport has been banned since last month and in the last few weeks there has been growing calls from several sporting bodies so that the authorities will relax their restrictions and enable elite athletes to resume their careers.

According to the latest sporting restrictions, disciplines like athletics, swimming, triathlon, shooting, tennis, badminton and table tennis will be given the green light to organise competitions in their venues under strict medical protocols but without the presence of any fans.

On the other hand, training for athletes who practice non-contact sport will finally be allowed also on May 10.

This means that the football national teams that will be involved in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers and Maltese clubs who will represent Malta in the UEFA club competitions this summer will be able to resume training.

Waterpolo teams will also be able to return to training ahead of the resumption of the 2021 season which reaches its culmination with the start of the National Championships in the summer.

Basketball national teams will also be able to start their preparations ahead of the upcoming FIBA Championships scheduled for this summer. However, it is to be noted that FIBA Europe will make a final decision on whether these championships will be held will be taken on May 12.

The Malta Rugby Sevens national team will also be given the opportunity to return to full training ahead of European Championships scheduled for the next couple of months.