MP wants sports to fight obesity, bullying

It’s a common denominator for millions across the globe: sport, and the power it has to bring nations together for popular and humane causes.
Even the last winter Olympics in Sochi saw athletes protesting Russia’s anti-gay laws: the German team showed off rainbow uniforms while Google jettisoned its support of the Olympics rings by fashioning its logo doodle with a rainbow.
In Malta, 8,000 hiked from Mellieha to Senglea to raise €75,000 for the children’s cancer charity Puttinu Cares.
But an MP whose heart is bound to the world of sport complains that sporting activities in Malta remain mired in politics and still dependent on tax funding.
Nationalist MP Robert Cutajar says he wants stakeholders to debate the future of sports in Malta with a conference set for the 6-8 June at the Cottonera Sports Complex, with keynote speakers like former Juventus player Beniamino Vignola, Felice Mariani, the first Italian judoka to win an Olympic medal, and Sky News sports editor Nick Powell.
“I don’t want to be a passive politician, limiting myself to criticism – I want to concretely contribute to the sector. I recognise the work done in the past, but it’s time to change the mentality of how Maltese look at sports,” Cutajar, a former sports journalist, said.
The Maltese culture of sports, he claims, has not fully embraced “the values of sports” and the importance of sports through all ages – from young to old – in order to take good care of one’s health.
Cutajar believes sports can become the perfect platform to combat bullying, inside schools and even on the field of action, like referees berated for decisions they take or athletes who lose on the pitch.
“The conference will discuss issues such as racism, disability and bullying. Sport can be the perfect ingredient to increase awareness,” he said.
Apart from that, repeat studies have confirmed that Maltese children rank second on the global obesity scale. In 2010, the percentage of overweight children increased from 32% to 43%; at least 22% of Maltese 15-year-olds are obese while 36% are overweight. According to the World Health Organisation, obesity is the fifth leading risk for global deaths.  
According to the government’s Food and Nutrition Policy Action Plan, reducing Malta’s rate of obesity by 4.3% by 2020 would save the country €3 million a year. Across the European Union, Maltese men are the most obese while Maltese women are the third.
Yet, physical education at schools has been relegated to the second division with just one lesson per week. Cutajar intends to raise the issue during the national conference, also to raise questions as to why primary schools lack a fixed PE teacher.
“It is unacceptable that PE lessons are limited to once a week when secondary school students attend a total of 40 lessons per week,” he said.
Although the subject falls in the remit of the Education Department, newly-appointed parliamentary secretary for sports Chris Agius said the education division was “trying hard” to increase PE time. “PE lessons are set to increase as from next year for Form One students,” he said.
Agius has embraced the sports conference in a bid to bring about more social benefits from the propagation of sporting values and health. “Children learn that in life sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Winning all the time might lead children to think they are a cut above the rest; that sport is all about beating others… and this is where bullying starts,” Agius said.