Water polo in Malta

Water polo is one of the most popular sports in Malta, with the level of clubs being quite high.[1]

Maltese Water polo is administered by the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta, with a respective section dedicated to this sport.[2] Water polo activities are sponsored by Bank of Valletta.[3]

History

Water polo was played in Malta at the turn of the 20th century, and was already a well-contested sport in the 1920s, when Lord Plumer, then Governor of Malta, thought about the possibility of entering a Maltese team in the 1924 Summer Olympics. Eventually Lord Plumer left his post but the Maltese enterprised through the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta, then called Amateur Swimmers Association.[4] This was refused by the Dutch organising them on the grounds that Malta was not a country, and after a legal battle ensued for Malta to be able to accede, Malta entered the 1928 Summer Olympics.[4] It is worth noting that this process also led to the creation of the Malta Olympic Committee.[5]

Clubs

Previously there were much more teams,[6] and there was even a league system specific to Gozo only.[7] Currently the clubs are:

Club City Division
Barracudas S.C. San Pawl il-Baħar Does not participate
Birzebbuga A.S.C. Birżebbuġa Maltese Water polo First Division
Exiles S.C. Sliema Maltese Water polo Premier Division
Marsaskala S.C. Marsaskala Maltese Water polo First Division
Marsaxlokk A.S.C. Marsaxlokk Maltese Water polo First Division
Neptunes WPSC St. Julian's Maltese Water polo Premier Division
Otters A.S.C. Żebbuġ, Gozo Maltese Water polo First Division
San Giljan A.S.C. St. Julian's Maltese Water polo Premier Division
Sirens A.S.C. San Pawl il-Baħar Maltese Water polo Premier Division
Sliema A.S.C. Sliema Maltese Water polo Premier Division
Ta' Xbiex W.C. Ta' Xbiex Maltese Water polo First Division
Valletta United W.P.C. Valletta Maltese Water polo Premier Division

Domestic League

The Maltese Water polo league currently features 11 teams in two divisions:[3]

  • Maltese Waterpolo Premier Division - 6 teams
  • Maltese Waterpolo First Division - 5 teams

National Team

Malta has qualified for the 2016 Men's European Water Polo Championship[8][9] and the 2018 Men's European Water Polo Championship.[10][11][12][13][14]

References
  1. Mitev, Georgi. "Waterpolo in Malta, enjoy one of the most popular sports on the island". www.malta.com.
  2. "About ASA". www.asaofmalta.org.
  3. "Waterpolo: More interest in summer league as clubs are seeded according to last year's placings - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt.
  4. "Official Feature of the Maltese Olympic Committee: A long history of waterpolo - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt.
  5. "Malta Olympic Committee – History". nocmalta.org.
  6. "Sliema Waterpolo - History". www.sliema-asc.org.mt.
  7. "Histpry" (PDF). www.ottersasc.org.
  8. "Updated - Waterpolo: Malta obtain historic qualification for European finals in Serbia - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt.
  9. "Malta beat Poland to secure historic qualification".
  10. "Waterpolo: Brilliant Malta overcomes Belarus to qualify for European championship - News Malta - All Maltese & English news in one place". www.newsmalta.com.
  11. "Waterpolo : Malta dominates and qualifies for the European Championships - MyBetsFriend". 3 March 2018.
  12. "Malta qualify for the second consecutive European Championship".
  13. "Malta Makes History To Qualify For Prestigious Euro Water Polo Championship".
  14. "Updated - Waterpolo: Brilliant Malta overcomes Belarus to qualify for European championship - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt.
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