National Lottery plc and the Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA) are pleased to announce that the Malta Women's National Football Team won the third IZIBET Elite Athlete Award, covering the period September–October 2023.

The Maltese girls made history as they won all four matches played in the Women’s Nations League Group C1 and are leading this same group before they play the last two matches at the beginning of next month. This is the first time that a national football team has had such consecutive wins in an international competition.

‘We are thrilled to be presenting this prestigious award to the Malta Women’s Football National Team, to recognize their efforts and their results in the League C Group 1, having attained 100% record beating countries the like of Latvia, Andorra and Moldova,” said Franco De Gabriele, Chief Commercial Officer of National Lottery plc. “We hope that the entire movement around Women’s football continues to urge a more professional outlook for the sport and that more of our athletes seek the path towards professionalism. It is abundantly clear that our athletes have the talent it takes to succeed but require an environment that supports their continuous development. We are proud to contribute in a small way the Women’s Football team and hope they continue to attain strong results going forward.”

Commenting at the presentation Malta SJA President Sandro Micallef said: “I would like to congratulate myself with the Malta National Football team for their run of positive results in their last 4 consecutive qualifying games. Well done to all the players who formed part in any of the past 4 international games, the coaching staff, support staff and all those who have contributed in a way or another to this success. This Award is a clear sign that the local sports media is following women's football and is appreciating the continuous improvement.”

Micallef added “I take the opportunity to make a genuine appeal once again to the Malta Football Players Association and the Malta Football Association to publish in its entirety the recent Memorandum of Understanding that was signed with the Malta Women’s National Team. The publication of this MoU will help us journalists to keep an eye and put the necessary pressure on the Malta FA to make sure it keeps up with the commitments it has made towards achieving full compliance with the UEFA Minimum Standards Framework for Women's National Teams in Europe by June 2024. Unless the full details of this MoU are made public, the media cannot make any follow up on the progress of these promises,” Micallef concluded.

The IZIBET Elite Athlete Award is aimed at recognising exceptional performances by local athletes and is awarded every two months, covering the periods January–February, March-April, May-June, July–August, September-October, and November–December.

A selection board composed of sports journalists and sports observers is responsible for evaluating the athlete's achievements during the designated review periods, ensuring a fair and thorough assessment process.

In the meantime, the official website of the Malta Sports Journalists Association https://www.maltasportsjournalists.com/ provides the rules and regulations governing the award.

National Lottery plc u l-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, bi pjaċir iħabbru li t-Tim Nazzjonali Malti tal-Futbol tan-Nisa rebaħ it-tielet unur tal-IZIBET Elite Athlete Award li jkopri x-xhur ta’ Settembru u Ottubru 2023.

It-tfajliet Maltin laħqu tragward storiku hekk kif fi Grupp Ċ1 tal-Women’s Nations League huma rebħu erba’ logħbiet minn erbgħa u jinsabu fil-quċċata tal-istess grupp. It-tim Malti huwa mistenni li jilgħab l-aħħar żewġ logħbiet ta’ dan il-grupp fil-bidu tax-xahar id-dieħel. Din hija l-ewwel darba li tim nazzjonali tal-futbol kellu daqshekk rebħiet konsekuttivi f’kompetizzjonijiet internazzjonali.

Franco De Gabriele, Chief Commercial Officer ta’ National Lottery plc qal, "Huwa ta’ pjaċir kbir għalina li qed nagħtu dan l-unur prestiġġjuż lit-Tim Nazzjonali Malti tal-Futbol tan-Nisa sabiex nirrikonoxxu l-isforzi u r-rekord miksub fir-rebħiet kollha fi Grupp Ċ1 tal-Women’s Nations League. Nittamaw li dan il-moviment fil-futbol tan-nisa jkompli jsaħħaħ il-bżonn tal-professjonalità fl-isport sabiex l-atleti tagħna jaqbdu l-mixja professjonali fl-isport. Huwa ċar ħafna li l-atleti għandhom talent li qed iwasssalhom għas-suċċess imma jeħtieġ li jkollhom ambjent li jkompli jsaħħaħ l-iżvilupp tagħhom. Miċ-ċokon tagħna aħna kburin li qed nagħtu sehemna biex it-Tim Nazzjonali Malti tal-Futbol tan-Nisa jkompli jissaħħaħ u jġib aktar riżulati b’saħħithom".

Waqt il-preżentazzjoni ta’ dan l-unur Sandro Micallef, President tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports ikkumenta, "Nifraħ personalment lit-Tim Nazzjonali Malti għal din il-mixja pożittiva f’dawn l-aħħar erba’ rebħiet konsekuttivi f’dawn il-logħbiet internazzjonali. Prosit lill-plejers kollha involuti f’dawn l-erba’ logħbiet, il-coaching staff, is-support staff u dawk kollha li b’xi mod jew ieħor taw sehemhom f’dan is-suċċesss. Dan l-Elite Athlete Award huwa sinjal ċar li l-midja sportiva lokali qed issegwi l-futbol tan-nisa u qed tapprezza l-iżvilupp kontinwu li qed isir.” Micallef żied jgħid, “Nieħu l-opportunità biex nagħmel appell ġenwin għal darb’oħra lill-Malta Football Players Association u l-Malta Football Association biex jippublikaw fl-intier tiegħu il-Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) li ġie ffirmat mat-Tim Nazzjonali tal-Futbol tan-Nisa. Il-pubblikazzjoni ta’ dan l-MoU għandu jgħin lill-ġurnalisti sabiex iżommu għajnejhom miftuħa u jagħmlu l-pressjoni meħtieġa fuq il-Malta FA sabiex tagħmel żgur li tonora l-impenn tagħha lejn il-kisba fis-sħiħ tal-UEFA Minimum Standards Framework għat-timijiet nazzjonali tan-nisa Ewropej sa’ Ġunju tal-2024. Qabel ma jiġi pubblikat l-MoU, il-midja ma tistax issegwi l-progress fit-twettiq ta’ dawn il-wegħdiet.”

Il-għan tal-IZIBET Elite Athlete Award huwa li jirrikonoxxi s-suċċessi miksuba mill-atleti lokali għax-xhur ta’ Jannar–Frar, Marzu-April, Mejju-Ġunju, Lulju–Awissu, Settembru-Ottubru, u Novembru–Diċembru.

Il-bord tal-għażla huwa magħmul minn ġurnalisti u osservaturi sportivi li se jkunu qed jevalwaw bir-reqqa il-kisbiet tal-atleti matul ix-xhur imsemmija aktar qabel u jassiguraw li jkun hemm il-korretezza matul il-proċess kollu tal-għażla.

Ir-regolamenti tal-IZIBET Elite Athlete Award jistgħu jinkisbu minn fuq il-website tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports https://www.maltasportsjournalists.com/

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