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Gżira Padel Club Open And In Use Despite COVID-19 Restrictions

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A padel club in Gżira has remained open and in use despite COVID-19 restrictions banning all organised sports until 11th April.

Run by IK Padel Malta, the Gżira courts have continued to operate despite a legal notice that came into force on 10th March. The President of the Gżira Football Club, which operates the padel club, claims that it is open on the basis that it is not an organised sport.

Earlier, the Malta Tennis Federation claimed that the padel club was given an official go-ahead from authorities as of Monday. They condemned the situation saying that “padel players in Gżira have totally disregarded the spirit of the law”.

However, the President told Lovin Malta that no requests to continue operating were made because the sport itself is not subject to the regulations.

Padel is a maximum four-person sport, similar to tennis. The President believes that since the limit on public gatherings is set at four, people can continue practising the sport.

The MTF once more commends its members clubs and even others who are not affiliated but have adhered to the spirit of…

Posted by Malta Tennis Federation on Monday, 15 March 2021

However, Superintendent of Public Charmaine Gauci previously told Lovin Malta  that any sports activity that is not practised alone is not permitted under Malta’s latest COVID-19 restrictions

“Organised sports can’t take place unless it involves a person who is doing it on their own initiative and not together with others. This includes training,” Gauci said.

Malta’s authorities introduced fresh COVID-19 restrictions that are set to run until 11th April to battle the spread of a more contagious variant.

Non-essential businesses organised sports and schools were forced to shut their doors after the country broke its single-day record of cases on Thursday.

*A previous version of this article erroneously said that the club was given permission to operate*

Cover photo: playtomic.io 

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Sam is a journalist, artist and writer based in Malta. Send her pictures of hands or need-to-know stories on politics or art on [email protected].

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