Malta FA defends scholarship deal funded by cannabis regulator

The deal will see around 160 children join football nurseries free of charge, with the Association for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) covering 75 per cent of eligible children’s membership fees and the MFA paying the remaining 25 per cent.

ARUC serves as the country’s regulator for recreational cannabis outlets, collecting licence fees from cannabis associations and overseeing their operations and output.

The regulator’s CEO Joey Reno Vella said the deal with the MFA was part of its broader harm reduction strategy to encourage physical activity and steer people away from drug use.

However, news of the deal drew significant criticism on social media from people who questioned the logic of football authorities taking money from the cannabis regulator.

“The idea of helping children who would otherwise not afford training is good, but whoever thinks that associating football with cannabis is a good idea has no place in youth football or in sports more generally,” one such commenter argued.

Cannabis is listed as a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency and athletes caught using it or other cannabinoids face sanctions.

In a statement on Monday, the MFA said it took note of criticism but defended the collaboration with ARUC.

“This initiative has always been grounded in a clear social objective: removing barriers to participation in sport, strengthening the role of clubs and football within society, and promoting inclusivity,” it said.

“Clubs and the wider football community play an important part in ensuring that young people are engaged in positive environments and supported in staying away from harmful behaviours and vices.

“At no stage does this programme promote cannabis in any form. The affiliation in question is with the regulator, not with any operator, and the funding is derived from public sources.

“Cannabis remains a prohibited substance under the WADA list, and any use within football is subject to, and will be addressed in full accordance with, the applicable regulations.”

Opposition leader Alex Borg said the initiative was the result of the government’s zeal for “propaganda with no limits”.

“Cannabis and other drugs can never be close to sports, let alone to our children and football nurseries,” Borg said in a message posted to social media.

“Whoever took this decision has no idea about sport and is sending our children the wrong message,” he said.

The PN leader pledged to continue supporting football nurseries but to not do it through the help of the cannabis regulator.