Here….

Malta has been hosting the FISEC games. Had it been in a normal year, this fantastic event would have been more the talk of the town, than it was. Last week was an eventful week, by any journalistic standard and the agenda was set by the transport issue and the fishermen tragedy.

From this space, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones.

This is the fourth time in the past 10 years that Malta is hosting the FISEC games. Under the motto, Everyone is a winner, the Maltese islands have seen hundreds of kids aged 14 to 17 giving life to an incredible sport feast. In previous blogs, the need to support all forms of sport was made loud and clear. At the same time it was stressed that one should see which talents are to be supported. I believe that the FISEC games are a showcase for promising kids who can be trained and nurtured in a semi-professional if not professional environment. If we manage to support those budding talents, then our national brand, in terms of sport, can also be a winner.

One contributor to this incredible feat was the female national basketball team. Under Santino Coppa and Sandro Farrugia the Maltese managed to win all what was there to win and become the FIBA European C Champions. Well done to our ladies who helped to fly our flag high.

These good results in this sport made up for a rather bad start for the Maltese teams in European football. None of the teams were humiliated, but as one of the presidents of the participating clubs said on a social networking website, “three defeats in European competitions by Maltese teams confirm the limitations of Maltese football”. One hopes that the return matches help to ease the pain, but still the chances that any of our clubs to qualify is minimal.

…And there

Lewis Hamilton is showing his strengths. Although criticism has been made at Ferrari’s outings the truth is that Lewis Hamilton is proving once again that at the moment, he’s the best driver in circulation. The fact that he wins does not impress me. What is impressing is the way he does it. He has the flair and drive of Schumacher and the late Senna. I guess that he’s in the right track to be one of the best ever drivers in Formula 1’s history.

So it did finally happen. Ronaldinho joined AC Milan for circa €18.5 million, much lower than his price tag last year. As any AC Milan fan, I hope that this price slash, doesn’t mean that we’ll have a diluted version of the Brazilan ace. One hopes (again as a Milan fan) that the Ronaldinho who landed in Italy will be the one who we saw in the first years in Spain and previously in France. Just can’t wait to see him playing together Ronaldinho, Kaka, Seedorf, Pirlo and Pato. Inter, Juve beware.

If the Tour de France was on the critical path of the restoration of the credibility to cycling, then it failed miserably. Once again doping has taken centre stage and struck a blow to the image of this sport. How sad. It used to be such an elite sport.