The Minister for Sport and senior officials from the Gibraltar Football Association have said that a number of very positive meetings have been held this week in relation to the Victoria Stadium and the forthcoming Island Games.

The meetings were held in order to coordinate, on the one hand, the requirements of the Gibraltar Football Association during the months of May, June and July in relation to the end of the domestic season and European club football and, on the other, the use of Victoria Stadium by Gibraltar’s athletes in advance of the Island Games.

Both the Government and the GFA have announced as follows:

• Gibraltar’s athletes will be able to train and prepare at the Victoria Stadium for a period of three and a half hours every day as from the 27th May in advance of the Island Games.

• In order to facilitate athletics training, the existing track at the Victoria Stadium will be repaired over three days (exact dates to be determined) prior to the 26th May. There will be zero impact on football matches whilst these repair works are taking place.

• The Opening Ceremony of the Island Games will take place at the Europa Point Stadium on the 6th July.

Separately, the Gibraltar Football Association confirms that the existing pitch at the Victoria Stadium will be replaced with a new FIFA Quality PRO turf. The replacement works will begin on the 27th May and will conclude on the 21st June. In this regard, Government and the GFA are in further discussions to re-lay the existing Victoria Stadium pitch at the new Lathbury Stadium.

The joint statement said "Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Football Association are delighted that these agreements have been reached for the benefit of Gibraltar’s footballers, athletes and the wider sporting community and would like to take this opportunity to jointly wish Gibraltar’s sportsmen and sportswomen every success in their preparations for the Island Games."