Watch: Gozitan athletes left in limbo with lack of sporting facilities, says Fabio Spiteri

Fabio Spiteri made a passionate plea to the authorities to boost sports infrastructure in Gozo as he believes the lack of key facilities is hurting the development of talented Gozitan athletes.

Spiteri, the veteran ultra-athlete who in 2024 caught the headlines when completing the Deca in France to become the first Maltese athlete to complete ten successive ironmans, was speaking to the Times of Malta in the first episode of the SportsDesk podcast.

During the interview, Spiteri spoke about the lack of key sports infrastructure in Gozo, particularly the absence of a 400m athletics track as well as the uncertainty surrounding the Olympic-sized pool project that has been ongoing for several years and so far, no date has been set on when it will be unveiled.

“I have been training young athletes in Gozo for almost 10 years, and I can assure you that there is a lot of talent there. I am surprised that in Gozo there is still no 400 metres athletic track.

“There is a small track in a government school that is not open every day. I can assure you that there are a lot of talented runners on the Sister Island and it’s a pity they don’t have proper facilities where to train.”

Spiteri also said that the Olympic-sized pool project is crucial for Gozitan athletes who want to practice swimming as at the moment they are forced to cross the channel early in the morning to train before going to school or work.

“I have no idea what is going on with the Olympic-sized indoor pool but that is one project which is very important to become available,” Spiteri said.

“There are Gozitan athletes who wake at four in the morning, take the ferry to come to Malta and train in the National Pool and then go back to Gozo so they go either to school or work. Let’s help these athletes because that is the only way for sports on the island to start to grow.

“At the moment, Gozitan athletes are being abandoned on their needs and it’s not fair.”

Spiteri also spoke about the challenges faced by cyclists on the Maltese roads which he describes as unsafe given that the cycling lanes have been badly planned, forcing the users to come out on the carriageway continuously putting their safety at risk.

“Our road infrastructure is unsuitable for competitive cyclists,” Spiteri said.

During the first episode, Spiteri spoke on the importance of giving athletes with huge potential a professional setup to maximise their talent.

The veteran ultra-triathlete also spoke about his achievement of completing the Deca last year and the effect Jake Vella had in his life and how he uses his positivity as a means to motivate others.

Spiteri also expressed his concern following the news that Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club decided to close its doors, putting the future of several sporting events in open water swimming, triathlon and cycling in serious doubt.

You can listen to this episode on the Spotify app