Sports bill before parliament

A bill to regulate sports has started being debated in the House of Representatives.

The purpose is to "encourage and promote" sport and to formally set up the Malta Sport Council in a new format to take over the functions related to sport currently vested in the department of youth and sport. It will also provide for the registration of sport associations and establish dispute resolution structures.

Parliamentary Secretary Jesmond Mugliett, who is piloting the bill, said the bill was historic as this would be the first law for sports.

The bill followed publication of a White Paper in August, an extensive consultation process with sports organisations and advice by Council of Europe experts.

He could confirm that substantial changes had been made after the publication of the White Paper and the section of the bill dealing with conflict resolution had been practically re-written so as not to conflict with the statute of various sports organisations such as the MFA.

There were various models of sports legislation abroad, broadly classified by the Council of Europe as the centralised and the decentralised. Malta would follow the latter.

The bill recognised the central role of the Malta Olympic Committee but also acknowledged the need for a second body, which would be called the Malta Sport Council, which would assume the government's role in sports. Although the council already existed, it would now be set up in terms of law and be better structured.

This bill established the government's role in sports and empowered the minister to issue regulations such as against doping. It also laid down how national sports facilities and facilities handed by the government to sports organisations should be administered.

Among the government's facilities were the Marsa complex and the national pool and other facilities at Tal-Qroqq. The sports complex at Cottonera would be completed in March, by which time work on the sports complex at Karwija would start. Also planned was another complex in the north of Malta.

The bill would make for better and more consistent administration of the national facilities by the Malta Sport Council.

The council as re-structured would also be better able to oversee the running of the regional facilities according to the contract conditions by which they were handed to sports organisations.

Mr Mugliett said the bill included a declaration of principles.

It laid down that physical education and sport should be taught and practised in all primary and secondary schools and there should be no discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, colour, religion, political opinion or residence within the different localities of Malta.

All Maltese should have access to sport and, where necessary, additional measures should be taken aimed at enabling and encouraging various sectors, such as women and persons with disabilities to participate.

All sports activities should respect the human dignity, health, safety and general welfare of all participants. All participants should follow the rules of fair play and should not use performance-enhancing drugs.

In the promotion of sport, no use should be made of promotional material or methods that tended to exploit young people.

Mr Mugliett said this declaration of principles was not enforceable in court but should serve as guidance for the regulation and promotion of sports in Malta.

He will continue his explanation of the bill in another sitting.