Malta Table Tennis Association temporarily suspended by Maltese Olympic Committee

The Malta Table Tennis Association has been temporarily suspended by the Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) while its operations are assessed by regulators.

The association is the subject of ongoing probes by both the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations (OCVO) and the Authority for the Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS).

In a statement on Monday, the MOC said its executive body had unanimously decided to suspend the association until those investigations are concluded.

The MOC said the decision was taken at a meeting held on Thursday, July 10 and is effective with immediate effect.

“This decision has also received the approval of the MOC General Assembly, which consists of all member national federations.

“Due to these ongoing investigations, the Executive Board of the Maltese Olympic Committee deems that in the current circumstances, it has no option other than to issue a temporary suspension to the Malta Table Tennis Association.

“The MOC emphasises that this measure is temporary and will be revisited once the outcomes of both current and any possible further investigations are made known to the Committee.”

Sources have told the Times of Malta that these investigations centre on a suspected breach of regulations by the MTTA when holding an Extraordinary General Meeting.

The members of the association called an EGM after a life ban was handed to the MTTA general secretary for breaching safeguarding regulations.

The same sources told the Times of Malta that the MTTA members were determined to give a vote of no-confidence to the MTTA president and vice-president and there was no consensus within the MTTA Executive Council as to who should sit on the Appeals Board.

The MTTA president sought the assistance of OCVO, who delegated the authority to the MOC, yet some MTTA Executive Council members refused to comply with the Commissioner’s instructions.

The EGM was eventually held, as it was clarified that the safeguarding issue wasn’t what triggered members to seek an EGM.

It was at that point that the OCVO and AIMS launched their investigations.

MTTA enrolment and registration with both entities is also being reviewed.

The MOC said that, unfortunately, this is the second time in as many years that the internal operations of the same association have compelled the MOC to take such action

“The Committee remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and good governance in Maltese sport,” the statement concluded.