Paul Sultana has resigned as Vice-President of the Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) and stepped down as Head of its Youth Commission, following internal concerns regarding the management of a publicly funded athlete scholarship programme, sources have confirmed.
The MOC acknowledged Sultana’s resignation earlier this month, describing it as “unexpected” but offering no explanation for his departure. However, several senior committee members said the decision came after pressure from MOC President Julian Pace Bonello and other executive officials.
Sultana’s resignation is understood to be linked to the Youth Development Scheme, a government-financed scholarship initiative for emerging athletes, which he oversaw as Chair of the Youth Commission.
According to individuals familiar with the matter, a recent internal review uncovered serious administrative irregularities and raised broader governance concerns surrounding the scheme’s operation. In the wake of these findings, the MOC executive is believed to have requested Sultana’s resignation.
Both MOC President Julian Pace Bonello and Secretary-General Kevin Azzopardi declined to comment on the issue. It remains unclear whether the matter has been referred to external authorities for further investigation.
Despite his departure from the MOC, Sultana continues to serve as President of the Malta Basketball Association.
His resignation comes amid a period of wider instability within the MOC, as Azzopardi prepares to leave his post to take up the role of Chief Executive at AIMS, the government’s troubled sports integrity agency.
AIMS itself has faced persistent governance challenges. Its two most recent chief executives — Luciano Busuttil and Jean Claude Micallef, both former Labour MPs — were each involved in protracted disputes with the agency’s chair, retired judge Antonio Mizzi. The organisation has struggled with continuity and direction amid repeated senior-level resignations and internal divisions.
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