‘A Shiver Ran Down My Spine’: PN MP Justin Schembri Stands Up For Snubbed Table Tennis Champion
Nationalist MP Justin Schembri has publicly stood up for national table tennis champion Gabriel Grixti after he was snubbed from Malta’s Small States of Europe Games squad in favour of four naturalised players.
“A shiver ran down my spine as I read this,” Schembri said, sharing Grixti’s complaint.
“Few people understand how hard it is to study at such a high level while achieving these successes in sport.”
“Rather than strengthening the system to help our students train and succeed, we keep on sucking up to foreigners. Solidarity with Gabriel. [Sports Minister] Clifton Grima should be ashamed of himself.”
The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) has defended its decision to leave out Grixti, arguing that while it is “very nice” to be the national champion of a small state, it gives more weight to players who compete in countries with a higher standard.
“The world of sports changed and keeping the mentality of ‘we are small state and I am the national champion’ does not fit in the MOC’s vision,” it said.
“Whilst it is an honour to be the national champion, the MOC is setting a higher standard.”
Is Gabriel Grixti being treated unfairly?
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