Government must provide answers over serious allegations by former national Water Polo coach Milan Ćirović
The serious allegations made by the former national Water Polo coach cannot be ignored. There is no place for political interference in sport.
The public has a right to know who the Government politicians are who allegedly used sport to further their personal agendas and what their involvement was; the Partit Nazzjonalista deplores any conduct that harms sport
The serious allegations made by the former national Water Polo coach cannot be ignored. There is no place for political interference in sport.
In recent days, Montenegrin Milan Ćirović resigned from his position as coach of Malta’s national men’s under-20 Water Polo team after alleging, during the programme Man Up+ on NET Television, that politically connected individuals with personal agendas, who hid behind journalists, had caused harm to the national team and Maltese Water Polo.
The Partit Nazzjonalista therefore asks the Government:
Who are the politicians to whom Ćirović was referring?
Was the Minister responsible for Sport aware of what was allegedly taking place?
Was there any political interference in the cases mentioned by this coach or in the way the information reached the media?
What action will be taken to establish the facts and ensure accountability?
Is the case being investigated by the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS)?
The Government must also state whether it will order an independent investigation and publish all relevant communications involving individuals within the government, SportMalta, the ASA and other entities involved. Maltese sport and our athletes cannot be used to further political or personal agendas.
The Partit Nazzjonalista deplores any conduct, regardless of where it originates, that harms Maltese sport and our athletes, particularly if it originates from the political sphere.
In the face of serious allegations of political interference made by a foreign coach, which led to his departure from Malta, silence is not an option.
The Minister responsible must provide an explanation and clear, immediate answers regarding this alleged scandal.
Graham Bencini
Shadow Minister for Sport
18.08.2026