A total of 367 players from 21 clubs – 16 from BOV Challenge League and five from the Assikura Women’s League – benefited from the pre-season medical screening programme offered for the first time by the Malta Football Players Association (MFPA).
The initiative underlines the MFPA’s continued commitment to safeguarding players’ health and welfare, with the screening programme designed to provide players with an important medical assessment ahead of the new football season.
Through the programme, the players underwent a series of medical checks aimed at identifying potential health issues and risk factors, while also encouraging a more proactive approach towards health monitoring within Maltese football.
Carlo Mamo, General Secretary of the MFPA, said: “Held over several weeks between June and August, the pre-season medical screening programme required a significant logistical and financial commitment as this project was fully coordinated and funded by the MFPA.
“We are pleased that our collective efforts have paid off, with the programme receiving very positive feedback from all stakeholders, including the players, clubs, medical professionals and the Malta FA.
“Now that the programme has been completed, the MFPA will evaluate its outcomes with a view to consolidating and further developing it next year as this initiative is closely aligned with one of the MFPA’s key priorities – player health and well-being.”
DEDICATED DIGITAL PLATFORM
To streamline the process, the MFPA developed a dedicated digital platform for the medical screening programme. This removed the need for doctors to complete forms manually and for clubs to scan and process medical documentation.
Club administrators were instead provided with the players’ medical reports and ECG results electronically, making the process more efficient and reducing the administrative burden on both doctors and clubs.
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
An important educational component was also incorporated into the programme. In addition to undergoing medical testing, players participated in sessions focusing on a range of topics relevant to their careers and overall wellbeing, including Safeguarding, Nutrition, Dealing with the Media, Player Rights & Obligations, Anti-Doping & Match-Fixing, Injury Prevention, and First Aid.
A total of 19 sessions were delivered by experts in the respective fields, giving players access to specialist information and practical guidance. This initiative was also supported by the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS), which provided the speakers for the anti-doping and match-fixing talks.
The MFPA would like to thank the doctors who conducted the medical screening throughout the summer, as well as all the experts who contributed to the educational sessions.
The Association also extends its appreciation to the Malta Football Association for supporting the initiative by making the former National Teams Clinic at the National Stadium available for the medical screening programme.