During a press conference held this morning at the ASA boardroom at the National Pool, ASA President Karl Izzo said that today marks an important day for the ASA and Bank of Valletta, as they officially launch the summer water polo season. This comes after two key events, the Champions League Final Four and the European Championship qualifying matches.
The Final Four was a great success, receiving strong coverage both locally and internationally. Malta will also host the third edition of the Champions League Final Four next year, which has been excellent promotion for the country.
The European Championship qualifiers have just wrapped up, with Malta qualifying for the tournament for the sixth time in a row. It was a high-level competition, and Malta were only knocked out by France, ranked fourth in the world, after a penalty shootout. This progress is thanks to the great work of the clubs. The draw for the European Championship will take place on 13th September.
This year is especially significant, as the ASA is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The winning team of this year’s championship will hold a memorable and historic title. The competition promises to be exciting, especially with new rules including a smaller pitch and other changes to make the game faster and more intense.
Twelve teams will take part in the championship, each allowed to sign one high-quality foreign player.
Also present was Mr Ernest Agius from BOV, who thanked those in attendance and highlighted the importance of this centenary. He noted that BOV, celebrating their own 50th anniversary, truly appreciates the positive impact being made by both ASA and the sport itself. He said strong foundations lead to real progress and praised ASA’s work as a great example to other countries, despite Malta’s small size. BOV is proud to have supported ASA for the past 18 years. He emphasised that investing in sport is important, sport brings satisfaction, both individually and as a team, and water polo is no exception.
ASA Vice-President Andrew Paris spoke about this year’s new league format, which was agreed unanimously with all the clubs. Unlike last year, where the championship began with a preliminary round followed by playoffs, this year all matches will be competitive from start to finish. The presence of foreign players is expected to boost the standard of the league, and Malta will be the first country to run its championship using the new international rules.
The 12 teams have been split into three groups based on last year’s rankings: the top four, middle four, and bottom four.
There will also be three trophies up for grabs this season: the President’s Cup, the Premier Promotion Cup, and the Meridianbet Cup.
To close the event, President Karl Izzo wished all the teams good luck and hoped there would be very few disciplinary issues, especially with the game becoming more physical. He also thanked BOV once again for their continued support and investment in sport.
He added that Malta’s results in aquatic sports, including at the GSSE, speak for themselves. Even against France, the national team delivered a strong and proud performance despite already having qualified.
In response to a question from MaltaSport, it was confirmed that Ivan Nagaiev, who has been playing in Malta for three years, could be eligible to represent the national team if he obtains a Maltese passport. He would not replace any Maltese players, but rather strengthen the squad. Many other countries do the same, and if more players of his standard gain eligibility, it would benefit the team. Local players will still have their place in the squad.
