Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/788859
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2017 51 Sport FOOTBALL Celebrating 60 years of international football 2017 is an important year for the Malta Football Association as we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the national team's first official interna- tional match. Malta made its international bow in a friendly encounter with Austria at the Empire Sta- dium on the 24th of February, 1957. The game ended 3-2 in favour of the Austrians with Malta staging a late rally and scoring twice through Tony Cauchi and Sammy Nicholl af- ter falling 3-0 behind. To commemorate this land- mark occasion, the MFA is planning to organise a series of events and initiatives over the coming months, starting with a reception in honour of the sur- viving members of the Malta team from that historic game. Dr Matthew Paris, the Malta FA vice-president who is co- ordinating the 60th Anniver- sary Celebrations, gave details of the planned events during a news conference today. "The festivities kick off today week, 60 years to the day from that historic game, with a re- ception in honour of the sur- viving members of that famous Malta team," Dr Paris said. "Exclusive mementos and gifts commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Malta-Aus- tria friendly will be presented to our veteran heroes by Malta Football Association President Norman Darmanin Demajo and General Secretary Dr An- gelo Chetcuti." Also today, the MFA un- veiled the 60th Anniversary logo while a video feature com- memorating the game will be shown for the first time during next week 's social event at the National Stadium. Other activities and initia- tives include a commemorative publication, currently being compiled by the MFA Com- munications Office, and visits by members of the national squads to hospitals and chil- dren homes under the Asso- ciation's Football For Life pro- gramme. 60 years of international foot- ball has also been selected as the main theme of this sea- son's MFA Awards, to be held in May, and will feature promi- nently in the build-up to the eagerly-awaited World Cup qualifier against England on September 1, 2017. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE BORG/MFA. Dr Matthew Paris, Vice-President of the MFA and (right) Kevin Azzopardi, Director of Communications Support of politicians imperative, says MFA President MALTA Football Association President Norman Darmanin De- majo described the backing of both the Government and Opposition as vital for the continued growth of Maltese football as a delegation from the Opposition, led by Dr Si- mon Busuttil, paid a courtesy visit to the MFA premises at the Na- tional Stadium. Dr Busuttil, the Leader of the Op- position, along with PN Spokes- man for Sport David Agius, met Malta FA officials and staff as they toured the Association's offices and facilities in the Millennium Stand, including the new hospital- ity area which will be inaugurated in the coming months, and the Technical Centre. "It's important for us to work with the government as well as the Opposition because, for the projects we have in mind, it's im- perative to always have the total support of politicians," the MFA President said in a short address to reporters before the two delega- tions sat down for a discussion at the Executive Committee board- room. "Honestly-speaking, since be- coming president of the MFA, I've always found that, when it comes to football, it seems that they all look at it in a somewhat different way. This is important because we give a very important service. Football is very popular at all lev- els, and, as I like to say, it's from the cradle to the grave." While thanking the Malta FA President for hosting the PN del- egation, Dr Busuttil said: "With our presence here, I want to send precisely the same message you (Darmanin Demajo) have just con- veyed. "We are here to support sport, to support football. We will back it as a whole." "We view sport in all its dimen- sions, especially from the point of view of promoting a healthy life- style," Dr Busuttil added. Dr Busuttil praised the Malta FA's bold efforts to fight corrup- tion in sports, adding that his party strongly supports every ini- tiative being taken to tackle this plight. A host of important sub- jects such as the commercialisa- tion of sports facilities, the Citi- zenship on Merit initiative and the possibility of introducing subsided electricity rates for sport entities were discussed during the meeting between the MFA and PN delega- tions. Leader of the Opposition Dr Simon Busuttil's was presented with a gift during his courtesy visit to the Malta Football Association