Criticism mounts of cannabis regulator funding youth football

Updated 8.20pm with Commissioner for Children comments

The Malta Football Association has defended its decision to enter into a youth scholarship agreement with the cannabis regulator, as criticism of the deal continues to mount.

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

Regulator chairperson 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, while the MFA has said the deal does not promote cannabis use.

“The affiliation in question is with the regulator, not with any operator, and the funding is derived from public sources”, the association said, with Reno Vella stressing the initiative was “rooted in social purpose, and I stand by it”.

But the agreement has continued to attract criticism from social media users, an addiction treatment foundation and the Opposition Nationalist Party.

One commentator wrote online that, “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”.

Another called the deal "unbelievable", while another mockingly asked if the announcement was part of an April Fool's prank.

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

'Wrong subliminal message'

Weighing in on the debate Monday, the OASI Foundation said that while it was aware the deal was being positioned as promoting sports over drug use, it was “of concern to us that our children are being sponsored by cannabis related finances”.

“No professional worker operating in the substance use prevention field can affirm that this strategy is conducive to preventing substance use,” the foundation, which offers addiction treatment services, said in a statement.

“One must acknowledge that this partnership is giving out the wrong subliminal message to our younger generation,” the statement read.

We have reached rock bottom- PN

The foundation noted that while the promotion of cigarette smoking was banned, with the "country moving towards similar strategies" for alcohol, this was not the case with cannabis. 

The advertising of cannabis products and associations is prohibited under ARUC rules. 

“We strongly feel that the use of the word ‘responsible’ in conjunction with any substance or behaviour that has mind-altering effects and addictive properties is counterproductive to promoting healthy practices in our population.” 

The foundation urged policymakers to “carefully reconsider the implications of associating cannabis-related funding with minors’ activities”, while stressing society had a responsibility to promote healthy activities free from messages that may unintentionally normalise substance use”.

'Shameless'

The Nationalist Party slammed the scholarship deal as “shameless” and “clearly showing that we have reached rock bottom”.

Laying the blame at the feet of the government, which it described as having an “obsession with propaganda”, the PN said cannabis and its regulator “can never in any way be associated with sport. Even more so, they should never be linked to football nurseries where children are being nurtured”.

In a video uploaded to social media, Opposition Leader Alex Borg questioned the decision, adding, “Yet for the Government, what does it matter? As long as it engages in limitless propaganda without understanding the consequences”.

Criticising parliamentary secretary Rebecca Buttigieg for attending the scholarship launch “for photo opportunities”, Borg questioned the position of the Commissioner for Children while asking if any action would be taken.

“While the Partit Nazzjonalista agrees that sport and football nurseries should be supported ... this support should certainly not come from the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis,” said Borg.

“Whoever took this decision clearly has no understanding of sport and, above all, is sending the worst possible message to our children, who are the men and women of tomorrow.”

The Commissioner for Children later issued a statement warning against "direct or indirect reference and association to unhealthy habits, including cannabis".

'Deal does not promote cannabis'

Responding to the criticism in a statement earlier on Monday, the MFA said that football 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 MFA said, noting that cannabis remained a prohibited substance under anti-doping rules.

“Any use within football is subject to, and will be addressed in full accordance with, the applicable regulations.”

'Prevention is our first priority'

Reno Vella said that “prevention is our first priority” and that the scholarship deal “in no way promotes cannabis through sport”.

“Part of this job is taking decisions that not everyone might agree with, but I stand by this decision,” he said, emphasising the deal “aligns perfectly well with our [ARUC’s] mission statement” to promote social causes.

“I did not expect this backlash and cannot understand why there is so much criticism of it,” said Reno Vella, asking why the authority should not try to help facilitate access to sports, especially for those at a financial disadvantage.

He questioned why gambling and alcohol company sponsorships of sports events were not subject to the same scrutiny as the recent scholarship initiative.