Anti-corruption sports agency chairman sacks CEO, resists PM’s orders

A new anti-corruption sports agency (AIMS) tasked with upholding integrity in Maltese sports is in disarray following a clash between its government-appointed chairman, retired Judge Antonio Mizzi, and government-appointed CEO, former Labour MP Luciano Busuttil.

Meanwhile, the chairman, supported by Education Minister Clifton Grima, is resisting the direction given by Prime Minister Robert Abela to appoint another former Labour MP, Jean Claude Micallef, as the new CEO.

Busuttil was sacked recently following pressure from the retired Judge.

The Shift is informed the board has not been meeting for a long while, except for informal meetings held behind the CEO’s back.

The chairman and the board are resisting the appointment of Micallef as CEO, preferring Ryan Borg, the former chief of staff of the education minister.

The minister is reportedly siding with the board, lobbying for his former chief of staff and Labour councillor in Sliema to be the new CEO.

While AIMS has recruited some 17 officials in the past months, its work to improve integrity in Maltese sports is nowhere to be seen.

AIMS is responsible for testing athletes for doping and ensuring they are not taking prohibited substances.

Concern has been raised about board members appointed by the government who have clear conflicts of interest, which were ignored despite having been pointed out by several sports organisations and athletes.

The concerns raised mainly involve the vice chairman of AIMS, Kirill Micallef Stafrace, and Lucienne Attard, a member of the board representing the Malta Olympic Committee.

Both are sports doctors with hundreds of athletes as private clients. They regularly administer medicinal products to their patients to treat injuries and improve their performance and also collaborate with sports organisations.

These same clients are also potential subjects of anti-doping tests administered by the same AIMS regulator while the two doctors sit on its board.

Sources said that WADA – the International World Anti-Doping Agency –  has already highlighted the gross conflicts of interest at AIMS. The rules underpinning the Maltese regulator conflict with EU directives.

The board has, so far, not addressed these issues.

Apart from his chairmanship of AIMS, the retired Judge, now in his 70s and married to former Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi, was also given two other jobs by Labour.

Mizzi is also head of the Justice Reform Commission and chairman of the Embryo Protection Authority. These come with three separate monthly cheques apart from other perks, such as a fully expensed car and a full-time driver.

Mizzi is also regularly appointed to conduct inquiries for the government.

With all this on his plate, Antonio Mizzi is reportedly rarely present at the agency.

A former magistrate reprimanded for breaching ethics, Mizzi was promoted to Judge as soon as Labour was returned to power in 2013. He retired from the Bench in 2018.