While many aspects of our everyday lives have been impacted with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malta Motorsport Federation has said that it is extremely fortunate that motorsport has been able to resume and is categorised as an organised sport that has already been through event restart protocols.
Indeed, the Island Car Club (ICC) and the Malta Drag Racing Association (MDRA) have, over the last weekend of September, successfully respectively held a hill-climb competition at Imtahleb and a Quarter Mile event at Hal Far, whilst member organisations are in the process of organising other events, details of which are available on maltamotorsport.org and the Federation’s Facebook page.
The Malta Motorsport Federation (MMF) would like to particularly thank its member clubs, with two deserving special mention for their determination; the Island Car Club and its committee who never gave up the challenge to get the permit to organise the event at Imtahleb, and the Malta Drag Racing Association and its committee who tirelessly worked for the successful organisation and running of the event.
The MMF also extends its gratitude and appreciation to the sterling work of all officials, marshals, teams, and competitors for their dedication and determination to assist and participate in the events, especially during such time of pandemic. It is this spirit of collaboration and commitment to embrace the ‘new normal’ that will ensure motorsport can continue and withstand the ever-changing conditions. Thankfully, organised sport can continue to operate, when there is clear evidence of a thorough plan and consistent execution.
Over the past months the federation has engaged with competent bodies, namely, the Superintendent of Public Health, the Health Authority, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth Sport & Voluntary Organisations, SportMalta, the Malta Tourism Authority, Red Cross, member organisations and our motorsport community, including stakeholders from all disciplines, making the necessary contributions so that the peculiar requirements of the divergent sport disciplines, protocols and the way such sport disciplines are to be practiced are taken into consideration.
This in order to ensure that any numeric assessment of the maximum number of allowed individuals in public events is proportionate to the nature of the sport discipline, required officials, and the public space where the event is held, respecting the ancillary social distancing protocols.
The MMF said that it need to once again reiterate that motorsport needs to be in the best possible position to withstand the ever-changing conditions. The organisation of such events is however only possible for as long as our community plays its part in maintaining the safest possible environment. “We must maintain this high standard, accepting and embracing evolving guidance, reacting swiftly to the evolution of the pandemic, looking after our community and most vulnerable, and preventing the transmission of the virus and its resultant impact on our sport,” it said.
The MMF would like to thank all the health and other frontline workers who are doing marvellous work at this difficult time. It also thanks the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth Sport & Voluntary Organisations, SportMalta, Rabat Local Council, and all stakeholders involved in the process and the motorsport community.
