The prime minister's choice for CEO of the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS) has been met with hostility by board members of the authority.

Former Labour MP Jean-Claude Micallef is the candidate of choice to take over from another ex-PL MP, Luciano Busuttil.

However, several of the authority’s seven board members said in a recent meeting that they were against Micallef’s appointment, according to sources close to the proceedings.

“Jean-Claude Micallef’s appointment was discussed recently, and many on the board expressed opposition,” one source said, adding: “It was a lively discussion.”  

The board would like to see sports minister Clifton Grima’s former chief of staff, Ryan Borg, appointed to the top post.

Borg currently serves as the Director of Strategy, International Relations, and Support at the authority.

Sources close to the Office of the Prime Minister insisted that Micallef is the best person for the job.

“Micallef has always been active in sports administration. Even as an MP, he was always focused on sports-related issues, and he continued to show interest after he left parliament,” one source said.

In 2022, Micallef announced his intention to head the body representing top-flight football clubs, the MPFCA, but that role was eventually taken up by former prime minister Joseph Muscat.

AIMS, which began operations in February 2022, is responsible for testing athletes for doping and ensuring they do not take prohibited substances.

It also works against match-fixing and plays a role in the fight against money laundering in sports.

Luciano Busuttil was CEO of the authority till recently when his testy relationship with the AIMS board led to his departure.