Malta’s new ban on organised sports gives the Superintendent of Public Health leeway to exempt national Maltese sports teams from the rules for the sake of international games.

A new legal notice banning organised sports activities until 11th April comes with a proviso, allowing Charmaine Gauci to “exempt national Maltese sport teams from these regulations in exceptional or necessary cases including international games”.

It makes it clear that such decisions are her discretion and subject to any conditions she deems necessary.

This clause will come as welcome news to Malta’s national football team, which is set to play Russia at home on 24th March in its opening World Cup 2022 qualifying match.

Yesterday, Malta coach Devis Mangia named his squad for the Russia game, as well as the subsequent away matches against Slovakia and Croatia, in a sign of confidence that the game will go ahead.

In a statement yesterday, the Malta Football Association said it is monitoring the situation very closely and maintaining regular contact with the Ministry responsible for sport.

Photo left: Domenic Aquilina/MFA

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