National Athlete benefits from the 20/20 Sport Training Leave for the Private Sector

The Hon. Clyde Puli, Parlamentary Secretary Youth and Sport met Christopher Camilleri, the first Maltese national athlete to benefit from the 20/20 Sport Training Leave for the private sector.

Christopher Camilleri, an auditor at Deloitte, has been training canoeing professionally since 2004.  This year he has been recognised as the first athlete in the 20/20 sport training leave scheme for the private sector, which scheme was introduce in this year’s budget and offered by Kunsill Malti għall-iSport (KMS). 

This scheme, aimed to make training time more available, is open to national athletes who work in the private sector.  Under this scheme the employee is granted 20 hours out of his/her normal weekly working hours, during which s/he performs his/her schedule of daily training.  These 20 hours are paid pro-rata by KMS.  This scheme is a joint agreement between KMS, the athlete, the company employing the athlete and the respective national sport association.  The latter nominates the athlete with KMS and the application is vetted.  Consequently a strategic plan of training and the aims to be reached are presented to be approved by KMS. 

This year there was a fund of €100,000 for employees opting to reduce their working hours to be able to training during the week.  This fund is increased by €50,000, during years in which Small Nations Games are held, just as was the case this year.

During his presentation Hon. Puli said that the 20/20 Sport training leave scheme is just one other scheme in the network of schemes that Kunsill Malti għall-iSport offers to promote elite sport.   He explained that currently there are 8 athletes benefitting from the 20/20 scheme in the public sector and the need aroused for the scheme to be extended to the private sector. 

Hon. Puli also mentioned the AFM Sports Scheme, where AFM will be employing elite athletes and potential elites as soldiers.   This scheme is based on 2 levels.  At the first level, the national athletes employed would be granted 20 hours for their training and for the other 20hrs they would be working for the armed forces.  At the second level, once established the athlete soldier would be given full 40 hrs of training and still be employed with the armed forces.  

Clyde Puli said that through KMS schemes, the Government is investing over €5.5million.  Such investment is always aimed at promoting and pushing local sport to higher levels.  

During this meeting Christopher Camilleri said that this scheme gives him the opportunity to improve his skills further as now he can train for longer hours; hours during which previously he was at work. 

Lisa Dimbleby, Deloitte representative, said that the company encourages employees to take part in sport activities, while encouraging them to find a balance between work and other activities.