Non-contact sport has been given green light to be held indoors, Charmaine Gauci, the Superintendent for Health, announced during her daily briefing on Wednesday.

For the past two weeks the only sport that was permitted for athletes to practice were disciplines that didn’t involve any contact between the participants, such as athletics, swimming and shooting among others.

However, on Wednesday, Profs. Gauci has announced that athletes can now be able to practice their non-contact sport also in indoor facilities.

“At the moment, we have lifted restrictions for non-contact sport, which first was permitted outdoors, but now it can also be held inside our facilities,” Profs Gauci said.

The announcement is set to be welcomed with relief by several elite athletes who practice their disciplines in indoor facilities, such as weightlifting, gymnastiscs, table tennis, snooker and billiards, among others.

On Wednesday afternoon, Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clifton Grima is expected to give more details on which SportMalta facilities will be reopened and what guidelines athletes and coaches will need to follow to be able to practice in these venues.

Meanwhile, the Superintendent for Health reiteterated the health authorities' position that for the moment, contact sport such as football and waterpolo cannot be practised.

“As regards restrictions on non-contact sport, which we believe is much more of a risk, will be looked at a later stage and hopefully they will be lifted at a later time.”