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SEPANG – Malaysia Association of Dodgeball (MAD) has set an example for the rest of the country’s sports associations after earning multiple world championship titles, said Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.
He added that following their achievement as a three-time world champion, MAD has been able to prove that they are a suitable role model to the country’s sports associations of over 11,000.
He also noted that their success could further spur interest among youths to get involved in the sport.
“Dodgeball, even though a non-Olympic sport, has increased in popularity in schools and universities.
“We (Youth and Sports Ministry) hope this success would attract more athletes from various races and backgrounds to play this sport.
“Of the more than 11,000 sports associations registered in the country, many are hidup segan mati tak mahu (neither dead nor alive), but MAD has been exemplary,” he said when met by reporters after welcoming the team home from Canada at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.
Malaysia captured the men’s World Dodgeball Championships gold medal for the third time after beating Australia 10-5 in Edmonton, Canada on September 5.
The Malaysian men’s team, ranked no. 1 in the world, also emerged champions in 2017 and 2018.
Also welcoming the team home were Youth and Sports Ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran, National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, and MAD president Datuk V. Radhakrishnan.
When asked if the ministry would consider awarding incentives to the team, Ti explained that they will be given due recognition in times to come as dodgeball is still not considered a core sport in the Malaysian sports scene.
“When a sports association produce a world champion, the (youth and sports) ministry would normally award incentives for them.
“But we could not accommodate all sports due to budget constraints.”
Ti, who is also MCA vice-president, said prioritisation needs to be given to sports that are being contested in the Malaysia Games (Sukma), Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games and the like.
He also praised MAD for its capability of recording its success on a world level without fully relying on the government. – The Vibes, September 14, 2022
