Malta Pickleball receives the first TGS Fair Play Award for the year 2024

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The Malta National Pickleball Team are the winners of the first TGS Malta Fair Play Award for the year 2024. This quarterly award, handed by The Malta Fair Play Movement in collaboration with the Malta Sports Journalists Association and Together Gaming Solutions, is aimed at sporting individuals or teams who would have distinguished themselves with an altruistic gesture of fair play during official and/or non-official competitions.

On the 9th & 10th of March 2024, Malta Pickleball organized its very first International Team Event Tournament in Malta, held at De La Salle College. It consisted of 19+ teams and 50+ Teams.

During the 50+ Team event final which was held on the 10th of March between Malta and the UK a commendable gesture was witnessed.

During the men's doubles match, one of the UK players, Tony Thompson, could not continue playing due to an unfortunate fall during a point which got him badly injured. Thus, this match could not be completed.

This team tournament consisted of one men's doubles match, one ladies’ doubles match, and 2 mixed doubles matches per encounter. Thompson’s team could not carry on the final encounter without him and were ready to award Malta a walk-over, giving Malta a win and finish in the first place.

After an immediate discussion, the Malta Team decided that both Malta and the UK should be awarded a joint first. It was neither fair nor satisfactory for the Malta Team to win over the UK with a walkover due to such an unfortunate fall.

"The altruist decision of the Malta Pickleball team to share their victory with the UK team, despite an opportunity for an easy win, exemplifies the true spirit of sportsmanship," said Edward Licari, Director of Together Gaming Solutions.

The presentation of the TGS Malta Fair Play Award was hosted by Andrea Critien from the Finance & HR Department and Edward Licari, Director of Together Gaming Solutions, at their offices in St. Julian’s. Charles Camenzuli was present on behalf of the Malta Fair Play Movement, while Stephen Azzopardi (MSJA Administrator) and Josef Galdes (MSJA Executive Committee member) represented the Malta Sports Journalists Association.

Members of the public, teams, or officials can notify the Malta Sports Journalists Association and the Malta Fair Play Movement of any fair play gesture, by contacting them at info@maltasportsjournalists.com for consideration.

Photo caption: Edward Licari, Director of Together Gaming Solutions, presenting TGS Fair Play Award trophy for the January-March period to Steffi Pace Girard, Founder and Head Coach at Malta Pickleball, together with Charles Camenzuli (Chairman Malta Fair Play Movement), Stephen Azzopardi (MSJA Administrator), and Josef Galdes (MSJA Executive Committee Member).

It-Tim Malti tal-Pickleball jirċievi l-ewwel TGS Fair Play Award għas-sena 2024

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It-Tim Malti tal-Pickleball huwa r-rebbieħ tal-ewwel TGS Fair Play Award għas-sena 2024, mogħti mill-Malta Fair Play Movement, b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports u Together Gaming Solutions. Dan il-premju ta’ kull tliet xhur huwa intiż għal dawk fil-qasam tal-isport kemm fuq livell individwali jew bħala tim għall-ġest altruwistiku ta’ fair play f’kompetizzjoni/ijiet uffiċjali jew le.

Bejn id-9 u l-10 ta’ Marzu li għadda, il-Malta Pickleball organizzat għall-ewwel darba tournament internazzjonali għat-timijiet tal-fuq minn 19 u 50 sena, fil-Kulleġġ De La Salle.

Waqt it-tournament tat-timijiet ‘il fuq minn 50 sena, li sar fl-10 ta’ Marzu, it-Tim Malti u dak tar-Renju Unit għamluha għall-finali. Waqt il-logħba tad-doubles tal-irġiel, il-plejer Ingliż Tony Thompson kellu inċident sfortunat meta waqa’ u weġġa’ sew, bil-konsegwenza li ma setax ikompli jilgħab u l-logħba kellha tiġi mwaqqfa.

It-Tim Ingliż kien lest li jagħti walk-over lill-Maltin u b’hekk jirbħu l-ewwel post. It-Tim Malti immedjatament iddiskuta s-sitwazzjoni u kien hemm qbil assolut li l-ewwel post jinqasam bejn iż-żewġ timijiet. Il-Maltin deherilhom li ma kienx sew li jieħdu rebħa fuq incident hekk sfortunat.

Min-naħa tiegħu, Edward Licari Direttur ta' Together Gaming Solutions qal, "Kienet deċiżjoni altruwista li ħa t-tim tal-Malta Pickleball sabiex jaqsam ir-rebħ tal-finali mat-tim mir-Renju Unit. It-tim Malti seta' ħa rebħa faċli b'konsegwenza ta' dak li ġara imma l-ġest eżemplari tal-Maltin jixhed il-veru spirtu sportiv."

Il-preżentazzjoni tat-TGS Fair Play Award saret fl-uffiċini ta’ Together Gaming Solutions, fil-preżenza ta’ Andrea Critien mid-Dipartiment tal-Finanzi u r-Riżorsi Umani, u Edward Licari Direttur ta’ Together Gaming Solutions. Charles Camenzuli kien preżenti f’isem il-Malta Fair Play Movement, filwaqt li għall-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports kien hemm l-Amministratur Stephen Azzopardi u l-Membru tal-Kumitat Eżekuttiv Josef Galdes.

Individwi, timijiet, jew uffiċjali jistgħu jikkomunikaw mal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports u mal-Malta Fair Play Movement biex jirrapurtawlhom att ta’ fair play billi jibagħtu email fuq info@maltasportsjournalists.com, sabiex dan il-ġest ikun ikkunsidrat.

Ritratt: Edward Licari Direttur ta’ Together Gaming Solutions jippreżenta t-trofew tat-TGS Fair Play Award għal Jannar - Marzu 2024 lil Steffi Pace Girard, Fundattriċi u Head Coach ta' Malta Pickleball, flimkien ma' Charles Camenzuli (Chairman Malta Fair Play Movement), Stephen Azzopardi (Amministratur GħĠS) u Josef Galdes (Membru tal-Kumitat Eżekuttiv tal-GħĠS).