The Malta Wrestling Federation expressed its disappointment after Gary Giordmaina was not included in Team Malta for the Mediterranean Games that will be held in Oran, Algeria, this summer.
The Maltese Olympic Committee took this decision after it ruled that no athlete should be competing in both the Commonwealth Games and the Mediterranean Games that will be held in the space of four weeks, due to concerns that participants would not be able to peak in time for both competitions.
Thus, Giordmaina, fresh from his gold medal win in the 57kg category in a United World Wrestling Tournament held in Albania last week, was kept out of selection for the Mediterranean Games in Oran which get underway on June 25. But he was included in the contingent for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham between July 28 and August 8.
Pierre Cassar, president of the Federazzjoni Maltija Lotta, argued that this was the first time since 1983 that Maltese freestyle wrestlers were denied the right to compete at the Mediterranean Games.