AFM SPORTS SCHEME LAUNCH

The AFM Sports Scheme is a Government initiative taken up by the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport through the Kunsill Malti għall-Isport (KMS) and in consultation with the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM).  Following several very productive meetings between the KMS and the AFM in 2010, a policy document was produced, the main essence being the opportunity for a limited number of high performance athletes to enter the Force as regular soldiers and to have their specific sport training considered as an integral part of their work.  This will naturally apply also to top level athletes already in the Force.  With respect to external applicants, the age bracket is 18 < 30.  A high performance athlete denotes athletes who have recently represented Malta in major Games be they Youth or Senior Games, or represented Malta at European or Continental Championships in their sport.

The Scheme offers benefits both for the AFM and the athletes.  With the AFM having joined the International Military Sports Council, CISM, three years ago, this will allow the AFM to be competitive in CISM events while affording more opportunities for competition abroad to soldier athletes on the Scheme.   The AFM will benefit from the specialist skills which these soldier athletes can pass on to their AFM counterparts and on their part, the soldier athletes will be guaranteed a career path in the AFM ahead of them.

The selection process will involve a specific call for applications.  The KMS will inform the National Sports Organisations (NSO) who, in turn, will nominate suitable candidates who opt to partake in the Scheme.  The applicants will be vetted by the KMS and once deemed acceptable on sporting grounds, they will be referred to the Exams department for vetting of basic qualifications.  Finally an interviewing board will assess their suitability to enter the AFM as regular soldiers.  Successful applicants will sign the contract associated with the Scheme and the attestation form applicable to any new soldier recruit.

There will be two levels within the Scheme.  All selected soldier athletes will enter at level one.  They will be posted at the AFM Sports Section within the AFM Training School and be required to report to Barracks for twenty hours a week.  At any point following the initial period of military training, level One athletes who are successful on an international level may be upgraded through an application provided by the KMS through the NSO.  These individuals will only be required to report to Barracks up to eight hours per week.  

Soldier athletes on the Scheme will benefit from the same conditions of Service as any other regular soldier.  They will be given opportunities to develop their military career alongside their sporting career.  Once they leave the Scheme, they will continue to serve in the Force as regular soldiers.  Their basic, initial military training, although mandatory, will insofar as possible not impede the individuals’ sporting programme.

The Scheme incorporates the setting up of a Sports Section within the AFM where the Staff will administer the soldier athletes during their period in Barracks and will liaise with the athletes’ coaches, NSO and KSU.

The Agreement shall be valid and effective for five years, renewable by a further five years depending on circumstances and agreement by both parties.