Table Tennis Association suspended amid a raft of serious claims

The Malta Table Tennis Association has been suspended by national sporting authorities amid a raft of allegations, ranging from financial irregularities to failure to report a former committee member to the police for inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Sources confirmed that the suspension was enforced by the Maltese Olympic Committee, effectively halting the association’s formal standing within Malta’s sporting framework.

The MTTA has also drawn scrutiny from the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) and the International Table Tennis Federation, developments that have directly impacted Maltese athletes’ participation in international competitions, such as tournaments organised by the ETTU at a junior level and disrupted national development programmes. 

A detailed report submitted to the relevant authorities outlines multiple governance concerns. Among the most prominent are allegations that membership fees were collected in cash, despite the association’s statute requiring payments to be made by bank transfer or cheque.

Further claims suggest that parents and members were pressured to sign petitions connected to internal leadership disputes, raising questions about the internal culture and whether proper democratic processes were respected.

The most troubling allegations relate to safeguarding.

According to sources familiar with the internal proceedings, a former committee member was accused of masturbating in a public setting during a sporting activity.

The incident happened in 2024 during a badminton session organised by the Institute for Physical Education and Sport at the University of Malta.

The conduct was reportedly admitted during disciplinary proceedings and resulted in a lifetime ban imposed by the association.

However, the case has become mired in procedural uncertainty. The individual appealed the sanction, but more than a year later, an appeals board has yet to be appointed by the Malta Table Tennis Association.

In the meantime, it is understood that the matter was not referred to the police, and sources claim the individual continues to frequent a table tennis academy attended by minors.

Separate reports refer to accreditation and communication issues involving Maltese officials during the European Youth Championships in Ostrava, allegedly placing Malta in a difficult position with international organisers.

The accreditation process for the tournament fell under the jurisdiction of the Maltese Olympic Committee, which was the body recognised by the ETTU for international participation.

The MTTA contacted local organisers to gain accreditation for its coach, but the latter had his accreditation withdrawn by the ETTU, which had granted accreditation for the tournament to another coach that had been submitted by the MOC.

The Malta Authority for Integrity in Sport declined to confirm or deny whether investigations are under way.

The police and the MTTA did not respond to questions by the time of publication.