SEA Games: M’sia’s chef de mission wants limits on naturalised athletes

PHNOM PENH – Malaysia’s SEA Games chef de mission Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali has urged the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) to limit the use of naturalised athletes in the future.

He suggested their participation in the biennial sporting event should be limited to 10 or 20% of the total players in a team, adding that he was shocked at the host country having over half its contingent comprised of naturalised athletes.

“… We can’t have a team of all foreigners... there is no denying that this sometimes affects the psychology of our players.

“However, we cannot use it as an excuse, consider it a restriction, so do your best,” he said when met here.

Cambodia is fielding naturalised athletes to compete in men’s indoor hockey, cricket, and basketball.

The Malaysian cricket squad experienced a setback in its mission to bring home three gold medals after it was defeated by the Cambodian team consisting of players from India and Pakistan, countries both well known as hotbeds of cricketing talent.

Malaysia was forced to settle for two silvers in the 50-over and Twenty20I events.

On Friday, the Malaysian Cricket Association in a statement expressed its concerns and asked SEAGF and the Olympic Committee involved to conduct an in-depth investigation into the organisation of cricket and conduct an audit of the qualifications of the athletes participating in this Games. – Bernama, May 14, 2023