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Matthew Vella
The Malta Olympic Committee was unaware its flag bearer for this year’s Commonwealth Games, champion shooter William Chetcuti, had been arraigned in Court over the possession and use of an illegal electronic bird caller, days before setting off to Melbourne for this year’s games.
Contacted hours before leaving to Australia on Wednesday, MOC secretary Joe Cassar said he did not know about Chetcuti’s guilty plea in the court of Magistrate Anthony Vella: “I haven’t read the papers yet... but the committee will discuss the matter.”
Double trap champion William Chetcuti was fined Lm50 after pleading guilty of being in possession of an electronic bird caller. Chetcuti was found in possession of the bird caller in a hide while hunting late last year. The bird caller was also confiscated.
Chetcuti has received four consecutive Sportsman of the Year titles. Asked whether this was a serious matter for one of the MOC’s champions to have participated in illegal hunting practices, Cassar said: “We want our athletes to be law-abiding citizens and give a good example to the rest of the people. Definitely, we will discuss it and see how things go.”
The Maltese contingent to Melbourne is headed by MOC president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco. Chef-de-mission Pippo Psaila, contacted in Australia, said he was not aware of Chetcuti’s arraignment in court.
mvella@mediatoday.com.mt
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