Antvin Monseigneur has been elected as the new President of the Malta Sports Journalists Association. He won the election against the other candidate, Lorraine Cunningham, with 33 votes to 30. Ms Cunningham has been serving as General Secretary of the Association since 2018.

The vote took place on Thursday evening during the Association’s elective annual general meeting.

Monseigneur takes over from Clinton Buhagiar, who did not run for the election. Buhagiar was appointed President following the resignation from this role of Sandro Micallef last year.

During the very well attended AGM a total of 64 members turned up to vote from a total of 113 MSJA card holders.

Joanna Camilleri was elected as the new General Secretary, and Stephen Azzopardi was elected as Treasurer. 

The other six members elected to the Association’s Executive Committee were Paul Cachia, Maria Vella Galea, Carlos Gauci, Matthew Vassallo, Sandro Micallef and Josef Galdes. All the officials and executive committee members will serve for a four-year term which comes to an end in August 2029.

The official election results were as follows:

President

• Lorraine Cunningham – 30 votes
• Antvin Monseigneur – 33 votes

General Secretary

• Joanna Camilleri – 39 votes
• Christopher L. Francalanza – 25 votes

Treasurer

• Stephen Azzopardi – 39 votes
• Mark Muscat – 25 votes

Executive Committee (6 to be elected)

• Stephen Azzopardi – 46 votes
• Paul Cachia – 49 votes
• Simon Farrugia – 33 votes
• Josef Galdes – 37 votes
• Carlos Gauci – 43 votes
• Sandro Micallef – 39 votes
• Matthew Vassallo – 40 votes
• Maria Vella Galea – 46 votes

The Annual General Meeting included also the presentation and approval of the Administrative and Financial Reports.

Newly elected President Antvin Monseigneur thanked those who placed their trust in him. He also pledged to represent and empower all sports journalists in Malta, including those who chose not to vote for him.

In a facebook post this morning Monseigneur wrote: 'Being elected President of the Malta Sports Journalists Association is both an honour and a huge responsibility. To those who believed in me and placed their trust, thank you. To those who doubted me, I still thank you, because your doubt gives me the strength to work even harder. Every step in life carries a lesson, and this journey has taught me more than I expected. A lesson has been learnt, and many milestones have been accomplished. A strong team has now been elected, and we look forward to working together, with commitment and determination, for all our members and for sports journalism’

Note: Antvin Monseigneur is the sixth President in the history of the Malta Sports Journalists Association which was founded in 1970. The previous individuals who served in this role were as follows:

Fr Hilary Tagliaferro 1970 – 1986

Henry Calleja 1987 – 2003 (passed away in 2018)

Charles Camenzuli 2003 – 2016

Sandro Micallef 2016 – 2024

Clinton Buhagiar 2024 – 2025

Antvin Monseigneur ġie elett bħala l-President il-ġdid tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport wara li rebaħ l-elezzjoni interna mal-l-kandidata l-oħra għal din il-kariga, Lorraine Cunningham, bi 33 vot kontra 30. Is-Sinjura Cunningham kienet ilha tokkupa l-kariga ta’ Segretarju Ġenerali sa mis-sena 2018.

Il-votazzjoni saret il-Ħamis filgħaxija waqt il-Laqgħa Ġenerali Annwali elettiva tal-Għaqda.

Monseigneur se jieħu post Clinton Buhagiar li kien appuntat President f’dawn l-aħħar xhur wara r-riżenja ta’ Sandro Micallef minn din il-kariga s-sena l-oħra.

Matul din il-Laqgħa Ġenerali Annwali attendew 64 membru minn total ta’ 113-il persuna li huma membri mħallsa tal-GħĠS.

Joanna Camilleri ġiet eletta bħala Segretarju Ġenerali filwaqt li Stephen Azzopardi ġie elett bħala Teżorier.

Is-sitt membri l-oħra eletti fil-Kumitat Eżekuttiv tal-Għaqda kienu Paul Cachia, Maria Vella Galea, Carlos Gauci, Matthew Vassallo, Sandro Micallef u Josef Galdes. L-uffiċjali u l-membri tal-kumitat eżekuttiv se jservu għal mandat ta’ erba’ snin li jintemm f’Awwissu 2029.

Ir-riżultati uffiċjali tal-elezzjoni kienu hekk:

President

• Lorraine Cunningham – 30 vot
• Antvin Monseigneur – 33 vot

Segretarju Ġenerali

• Joanna Camilleri – 39 vot
• Christopher L. Francalanza – 25 vot

Teżorier

• Stephen Azzopardi – 39 vot
• Mark Muscat – 25 vot

Kumitat Eżekuttiv (għandhom jintgħażlu 6)

• Stephen Azzopardi – 46 vot
• Paul Cachia – 49 vot
• Simon Farrugia – 33 vot
• Josef Galdes – 37 vot
• Carlos Gauci – 43 vot
• Sandro Micallef – 39 vot
• Matthew Vassallo – 40 vot
• Maria Vella Galea – 46 vot

Il-Laqgħa Ġenerali Annwali ġiet fi tmiemha permezz tal-preżentazzjoni u l-approvazzjoni tar-Rapport Amministrattiv u dak Finanzjarju.

Il-President il-ġdid Antvin Monseigneur rringrazzja lil dawk li urew fiduċja fih. Huwa wiegħed ukoll li se jirrappreżenta u jagħti s-saħħa lill-ġurnalisti sportivi kollha f’Malta u f’Għawdex, inkluż dawk li ma vvutawlux.

F’kitba fuq Facebook dalgħodu Monseigneur qal: “Li nkun elett President tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport huwa kemm unur kif ukoll responsabbiltà kbira. Lil dawk li emmnu fija u tawni l-fiduċja tagħhom, grazzi. Lil dawk li ma vvutawliex, xorta nirringrazzjakom, għax id-dubju tagħkom se jagħtini l-qawwa u d-determinazzjoni biex naħdem aktar. Kull pass fil-ħajja jġib miegħu lezzjoni, u dan il-vjaġġ għallimmni iktar milli kont nistenna. Issa ġie elett tim b’saħħtu, u ħerqan biex naħdmu flimkien, b’impenn u determinazzjoni, għall-ġid tal-membri kollha tagħna u għall-ġurnaliżmu sportiv.”

Nota: Antvin Monseigneur huwa s-sitt President fl-istorja tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport ta’ Malta li twaqqfet fl-1970. Il-persuni preċedenti li servew f’din il-kariga kienu dawn:

Fr Hilary Tagliaferro 1970 – 1986
Henry Calleja 1987 – 2003 (miet fl-2018)
Charles Camenzuli 2003 – 2016
Sandro Micallef 2016 – 2024
Clinton Buhagiar 2024 – 2025