Commission finds shooter in breach of MOC contract

William Chetcuti's conflict with the Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) over his signing of a sponsorship agreement with a third party seems to have been resolved.

MOC Director of Sport Pippo Psaila yesterday revealed that the talented Double Trap shooter was found to have breached his exclusive contract with the MOC after agreeing to a commercial deal with telecommunications company go mobile earlier this month.

Psaila said that the MOC appointed a commission to look into the case and, after a thorough evaluation, it reached the conclusion that Chetcuti had violated his agreement with the MOC when he signed with go mobile.

The commission ruled that the athlete had acted in bona fede and subsequently handed down a four-year suspended sentence.

This basically implies that Chetcuti would have to pay a penalty sum as stipulated by his contract with MOC if he were to break the conditions of his agreement with the MOC over the next four years.

Psaila said that Chetcuti had acknowledged his mistake and his agreement with go mobile has since been cancelled.

"It's unfortunate that such a situation had to arise but we have to protect the interests of the Malta Olympic Committee," Psaila said.

"I hope that this incident will serve as an eye-opener for all our athletes to treat such matters very carefully and make sure they don't suffer any repercussions.

"Our door is always open to give advice to athletes."

Psaila said that the success achieved by Maltese athletes in recent years has inevitably boosted the image of our sportsmen. Children look up to elite athletes as their role models.

Sustained sporting success should also have enhanced the marketing potential of our athletes in so far as advertising by private firms is concerned but unfortunately this area is not fully exploited.

Marketing seminar

For this reason, the MOC is organising a three-day seminar which will help local private companies and sports associations improve their knowledge of marketing.

"It's an opportunity to learn ways and means of maximising the benefits of a sponsorship agreement between a sports association and private firm," Psaila remarked.

Dr Kirill Micallef Stafrace, MOC Director of Marketing, said that this three-day meeting will be held between October 7 and 9 at the New Dolmen Hotel, Qawra.

Various distinguished guests are expected to take part including Damjan Pintar, Olympic Solidarity Marketing Consultant, and Elisabeth Allaman, Director of the NOC Marketing Services.

The MOC is also planning to offer a national training course for sports administrators to enhance their knowledge and strengthen the management of Olympic sport organisations based on the IOC-established Sports Administration Manual.

MOC secretary Joe Cassar, who is responsible for the organisation of this course, announced that the first meeting should be held on October 26.

Meanwhile, the MOC has just published the first official handbook that includes all the necessary information about its operate.

Compiled by MOC president Lino Farrugia Sacco, the handbook contains extracts from the MOC statute, regulations and contracts.

It also provides a brief look at the activities organised by the MOC and the results obtained by its athletes in the Games of the Small States of Europe, the Mediterranean Games and the Commonwealth Games.