KUALA LUMPUR – Athletes who are forced to sit out the Malaysian Games (Sukma) due to their events being cancelled will be missing out on more than just the chance to compete, said Perak Athletics Association (Perak AA) president Datuk Karim Ibrahim.
Speaking to The Vibes, Karim said these athletes, who have been training for the past four years, will also lose out on their respective state sports council’s incentives, which are awarded to the gold medallists.
Karim’s response comes after National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail in a statement said that athletes need not worry as national sports associations with the help of NSC will organise national-level competitions for those unable to compete in the Sukma, scheduled from September 29 to October 8.
For this year’s edition, several events in diving and athletics have been cancelled by the Sukma Supreme Council due to lack of participation from states.
In diving, these include the 1m springboard, 3m springboard, and 10m platform, 3m synchronised springboard and 10m synchronised platform; while the 10,000m walk, pole vault, discus, shot putt, triple jump and hammer throw have been scrapped for track and field events.
Karim said although there is nothing wrong with having national-level competitions, to use them as a replacement for Sukma events is unacceptable.
Will the NSC compensate the incentives that these athletes would be missing out from Sukma? I don’t think so.
According to the International Association of Athletics Federations rule, any event that has at least three registered athletes can continue.
Karim said the reasoning given by the Supreme Council that each event should have a minimum of six states participating does not make sense.
“We are supposed to be following the international rules. By doing this, they are clearly bending the rules as they wish,” he added.
Meanwhile, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur AA president Datuk Seri V. Pulainthiran said if there were to be national-level competitions organised for athletes missing out on Sukma, it would not be fair to all the other athletes.
“Sukma was established with the aim of finding young athletes across the country, which includes participants from every age group.
“Since the last Sukma was four years ago, an athlete who can join this year may not still be within the age limit when the next edition comes along in two years,” he said.
Currently, Sukma is for athletes aged 21 and below, but due to the pandemic, the age limit was extended to 23 years old.
He added that one of his athletes was set to win the 10,000m walk event, but since it has been cancelled, all her efforts in the past four years are wasted.
The parents of these athletes would also be frustrated as years of their sacrifice would amount to nothing.
At the same time, Johor AA president Sallehudin Satar echoed Pulainthiran’s comments, stating that the decision goes against the goal of developing potential future national athletes.
“NSC needs to give a proper explanation as to why these events were cancelled.
“They have made a rash decision that directly affects the athletes who have been preparing for years without discussing it with the state AAs.
“The Supreme Council needs to reconsider this decision. I am not just concerned for Johor, but for the future of Malaysia’s sporting scene,” he said. – The Vibes, August 20, 2022
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