Foul!

  Agak sedih juga pengakhiran buat sukan terjun ini, di mana kita gagal dan kita perlu mengakui bahawa kita gagal. "Kita perlu mengkaji semula kelemahan kita. Niatnya ada, usaha juga ada walaupun menghadapi banyak kekangan dan masalah." This was published by Stadium Astro yesterday . The quote above was by National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail. So will Ahmad Shapawi now be trolled for using the word "gagal" (failure)? Ahmad Shapawi said it as it is. But this Olympics has seen certain quarters arguing that we should use words like "tidak berjaya" instead of "gagal". Certain media organisations have also come under fire for their "less than supportive" headlines. I feel these media organisations should stand firm by recording facts as it is instead of changing headlines for fear of being trolled.  Here's what legendary athlete Carl Lewis had to say about the US team in the men's relay:   The USA team ...

As published in Sunday Mail today Money paid through NSC, says MACC   By Haresh Deol and Anith Adilah   mmnews@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA – The arrest of a ranking Youth and Sports Ministry official has raised questions over the manner in which funds within government bodies are being managed. The 56-year-old suspect, a mastermind who misappropriated some RM100 million of the ministry’s funds for more than six years, was nabbed by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials during a raid at his house in Kajang on Friday.   The anti-graft body seized numerous items including 12 vehicles – among them an Audi, Mercedes Benz, Nissan GTR and Toyota Vellfire – 40 designer handbags, luxury bedding set, expensive watches and fine jewellery, including a Cartier pearl ring worth RM600,000.   The seized items totalled RM20 million while his 69 bank accounts with RM8.33 million was frozen. Eight contractors, including a woman, were also picke...

As published in Mailsport today By Wan Noriza Meor Idris  wannoriza@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR — New National Sports Council (NSC) director general Ahmad Shapawi Ismail summoned his three aquatic coaches for a face-to-face meeting yesterday after several Mailsport’s reports regarding the deplorable state of the National Aquatics Centre (NAC). The trio are Paul Birmingham (swimming), Yang Zhuliang (diving) and Long Yan (synchronised swimming). Shapawi, who replaced Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong on Dec 19, was stunned to discover how badly neglected the centre was.  Yesterday Mailsport revealed the national swimmers have been training in the dark for the past fi ve years as the lights do not function. He also said the hot shower have not been working for quite a while. Last week diving coach Yang Zhuliang once again requested for a new roof for the diving arena. He said he can’t conduct training if it rains as the players are at risk of lightn...

As published in Mailsport today. By Nicolas Anil     nicolas@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR — A tough journey awaits Ahmad Shapawi Ismail. While his bosses see him as the “right” person to lead the National Sports Council (NSC), it is no secret Shapawi will face several envious colleagues as he starts work as the Council’s director-general today. Efforts to groom him into becoming NSC director-general started years ago, especially when he was NSC athletes training unit director in 2007. However, he did not fall in favour with certain high ranking officials which led him out of the Council. He was named National Sports Institute (NSI) chief executive officer in 2012 and was there for a year before he was moved to the Sports Commissioner’s Office. But, Shapawi is enjoying the last laugh — replacing his former boss Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong in the hot seat. Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, in announcing Shapawi as the new director-general yesterda...

As published in Mailsport today KUALA LUMPUR — Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, Datuk Salim Parlan and Datuk Yusof Jantan are the frontrunners for the National Sports Council (NSC) director-general post which will be announced tomorrow.  Insiders say Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, while pleased with the trio, has yet to decide who will replace Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong. “It’s down to Shapawi, Salim and Yusof. It’s close,” said a top ministry official. Many feel Shapawi and former Sports Ministry deputy secretary-general (strategic) Salim are "well-versed" with the sports landscape and “best suited” for the job. Shapawi was formerly with NSC but in June 17, 2013, he replaced Datuk Yassin Salleh as Sports Commissioner. Yusof was once Malacca Mayor. Critics argue placing Shapawi in the equation is wrong due to “camps” that exist in NSC. It is an open secret Shapawi does not enjoy a cordial relationship with Zolkples and has close ties with former NSC director-general ...

As published in Mailsport today By Vijhay Vick vijhay@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA — Sports Commissioner Ahmad Shapawi Ismail is wondering what is taking the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) so long to submit its minutes from the Oct 13 extraordinary general meeting (EGM). The EGM was held to make changes to the constitution and the 30-day deadline to submit the minutes has lapsed. The minutes are crucial for the Sports Commissioner’s Office decide if it will approve the newly adopted constitution. MHC was supposed to hold its AGM by May 31 but Shapawi agreed to postpone it till year end to accommodate the changes to the constitution. “The national body informed us they were in the midst of sorting out a new constitution so they needed more time to conduct the AGM. We extended it until the end of the year,” he said. “ As things stand, it must be conducted this year or we will issue them a reminder. “The onus is on them to submit the necessary paperwork fo...

Anti-Doping Agency Malaysia (Adamas) chief Dr Ramlan Aziz (pic) will return to the National Sports Institute (NSI) as its chief executive officer. Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is expected to make the announcement today.  Mailsport was informed that current NSI CEO Ahmad Shapawi Ismail will be made Sports Commissioner (SC). Read the full report in today's Mailsport .

Having spent a day asking around and speaking to various folks - from writers, Youth and Sports Ministry insiders to observers, here are some of the names that could turn out to be the new Sports Commissioner (in no particular order) - as published on the backpage of The Malay Mail today. 1. Ab Jalil Abdullah, National Sports Council (NSC) sports management director    - it will be seen as a promotion for the S54 grade officer. Has the expertise but mainly on elite sports. Sports Commissioner's Office is also about mass sports. It would finally be the break he deserves as time (or rather age) is not on his side. 2. Madzrib Ibrahim, Registrar of Youth Societies    - an unknown among those outside the ministry but Madzrib was apparently "groomed for bigger things" only to be placed in cold storage as he does not click well with certain top officials. He once served as a deputy director general for the sports development division within the ministry and is curren...

UPDATE 1.20pm: Just got off the phone with Ahmad Shapawi and this is what he said; Yes I have received a letter of the new appointment starting August 16 but I'm in the midst of finalising my work at the National Sports Council including our paralympian's campaign at the Paralympic Games in London.  I'll be meeting the NSI staff on August 16 and hear them out to see how we can work closely together.   ---- And before I forget, congratulations to Ahmad Shapawi Ismail who will take over as the new National Sports Institute CEO from the acting CEO on August 16. That was taken from Satwant Singh Dhaliwal's blog posting published earlier today. Ahmad Shapawi ( pic ) could not be reached as he is in the midst of a meeting. As stressed before, the person replacing Dr Ramlan Aziz as the National Sports Institute (NSI) CEO is secondary. What remains unclear is to why Ramlan was asked to quit the hot seat? - a question which no one seems to have an answer. If ...