Foul!

  YES, or NO? The Sportswriters Association of Malaysia has started a poll on its Facebook page. At the time of writing, 80 per cent has clicked on YES. There are obviously concerns. One was highlighted by The Star's Lim Teik Huat in his column today. He highlighted paragraphs from the Olympics Playbook that read:  “We trust that the measures laid out will mitigate the risks and impacts involved in participating in the Games, and we fully count on your support to comply with them. “However, despite all the care taken, risks and impacts may not be fully eliminated, and therefore you agree to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games at your own risk.” Then there's a tweet - that the Malaysian contingent's participation to Tokyo has been rejected - that has been debunked by the Olympic Council of Malaysia and National Sports Council. It's "fake news", they say. The locals in Japan are rejecting the Summer Games to be held as the Covid-19 situation there is criti...

This is a press statement by Pakatan Harapan Wanita Chief Chong Eng. She is also Penang exco for social development and non-Islamic religious affairs and a long-time activist for women's affairs. National swimmer Cindy Ong’s shocking revelation should be taken seriously despite the fact that the alleged sexual harassment took place 20 years ago when she was a teen.  The media report also disclosed that sexual harassment did not only happen to Ong but also other young male athletes, who were victims of sexual harassment too, according to a former national swimmer who remained anonymous. The Youth and Sports Ministry should take immediate action to start looking into establishing a channel for athletes to lodge a complaint to prevent a repeat of such incidents in future while assisting Ong to lodge a police report.  Then the ministry should start probing the allegation by Ong and also find ways to protect other athletes, especially the teenage athletes.  While the Sexu...

The Youth and Sports Ministry insists there will be no compromise nor protection given to any individual if they are found guilty of sexually harassing athletes. Its minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said there shall be no cover-ups and no room for the predators. Read Twentytwo13 for the full article. At least Reezal Merican's statement is more sincere than his fellow Umno mate, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman who received a bashing over his lack of empathy in addressing the LRT mishap yesterday. But words alone are not enough. This is only the first step. Next up - hunting the culprits. It is important to create a safe space for our athletes. It is also important that the authorities identify the politician who had offered Cindy Ong money for sex. Hopefully concrete steps will be taken in addressing this pressing matter.  It should not end up like the Podium Programme Enhancement Committee. There were plenty of words (and heated arguments).  Yet, right after...

UPDATE 7.16pm: A former gymnast urged the Youth and Sports Ministry to view the allegations made by Cindy Ong seriously, as reported by Twentytwo13 .  -- Damning allegations that cannot be swept under the carpet. MalaysiaKini had earlier today quoted swimmer Cindy Ong and another athlete of sexual assaults by their former coaches and even a politician. There's also a BM version of the article.  Dalam salah satu kejadian ketika keluar negara, dia mendakwa seorang jurulatih menyentuh payudaranya. Ong berkata dia masih ingat jurulatih tersebut masuk ke biliknya dan menyuruhnya melelapkan mata sebentar sebelum pertandingan.  Lelaki berkenaan kemudian duduk di sebelah dan mengusap badannya. "Saya berbaring di atas katil, dia datang dan mengusap bahu saya. Kemudian, tangannya meliar ke sana sini ..." katanya. ... Seorang lagi bekas perenang yang enggan namanya disiarkan memberitahu Malaysiakini bahawa dia pernah melihat seorang jurulatih beronani di hadapan seorang perenang ...

  Following my blog posting yesterday ' Plot to remove Tok Mat for good? Will this be for the greater good of Malaysian sepak takraw? ', I received several phone calls and messages. Here's a message that I would like to share: "The issue regarding sepak takraw is that the Thais have been there for many decades, especially when they controlled the manufacturing of the balls, and in wanting to win all the time. They made millions from the sport. The problems have been there long before Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail. Why blame him only? Malaysian Sepak Takraw Association's (PSM) approach to the problems is totally different from the Thais.  The Thais adopt a commercial, political and winning mentality. In other words, it's a total integrated, must-win strategy which has been very successful. As for Malaysia there is no unity, too much internal misunderstanding and politics, no strategy and no leadership. As a result, we are left behind. Just name me one period or one PS...

  Former Selangor football manager Zakaria Rahim starts his day early. The above was posted on his Facebook page at 5.54am. He was referring to the action taken by Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF) against the Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (PSM). PSM has been expelled from the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF) with immediate effect. This was after PSM president Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail, better known as Tok Mat, sent a letter to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and which was copied to the International Olympics Committee (IOC) in his capacity as ASTAF deputy president on Feb 24. On May 5, Tok Mat was handed a 15-year ban by ASTAF. Several state members have already ditched PSM.  Some say it's a plot to remove Tok Mat from the sport for good. Others say this will be good for Malaysian sepak takraw - a sport that has hardly made any significant progress and consistency over the past two decades.  But I doubt Tok Mat would want to wave the white flag just yet...

The Malaysian sepak takraw scene is in a mess. No I'm not talking about the performance of the team but the national body. Terengganu is the latest to quit the Malaysia Sepak Takraw Association, as reported by Berita Harian. The east coast state body said:  "PSM juga gagal dalam mengurus tadbir di peringkat kebangsaan serta gagal memberi penjelasan sebenar mengenai situasi yang berlaku antara PSM dengan ASTAF dan ahli gabungannya." It becomes the fifth state to distance itself from the national body after Kelantan, Johor, Selangor and Kedah. For decades, the same faces are seen in the national body and at the regional level. One wonders what have they done for the sport. Get well soon, Manshahar! National athletics coach Mohd Manshahar Abdul Jalil and two of his family members have tested positive for Covid-19. National news agency, Bernama reported : Presiden Kesatuan Olahraga Malaysia (KOM), Datuk S M Muthu berkata, Mohd Manshahar bersama seorang anak lelakinya kini men...

When a 27-year-old dies due to a clogged heart, it is indeed shocking. But when a 27-year-old national archer, who is gunning for his third appearance in the Olympics, dies due to coronary artery atherosclerosis - it is not only shocking but poses questions if his health status was monitored. If it was, surely there would have been signs, no? And will there be thorough tests carried out on our elite athletes following this sad episode? This is not to blame any party. Here's a perfect example of how things can take a turn for the worse - when least expected. Several years ago, my aunt, a doctor, was given a clean bill of health during her routine check-up at the National Heart Institute (IJN). She was taking medication to lower her cholesterol. Barely three months after that check up, she suffered a heart attack and underwent a bypass. It was a nightmare. She's now fine and continues to meet doctors at IJN for her follow-ups. I'm sure the National Sports Institute (NSI) will...

The Youth and Sports Ministry said it did not give any approval to the any Israel national to participate in any sports events in the country - including the Malaysia Open which has been recently postponed.  Israelis Misha Ziberman and Svetlana Zilberman's names appeared in the mixed doubles event in the draw by Badminton World Federation (BWF ). The Malaysia Open was scheduled May 25-30 but the BA of Malaysia (BAM) postponed the meet due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases. If the Malaysia Open is rescheduled to a later date and the Israeli shuttlers still qualify, they will still not be allowed to enter into Malaysia as the country does not have diplomatic ties with Israel. BAM is bound by the immigration rules of the country. Nevertheless, several Israelis have been to Malaysia. Yossi Benayoun and his Chelsea team played against a Malaysian XI in 2011. Benayoun was jeered by a small section of the crowd during the exhibition match. Chelsea lodged a complaint and the FA o...

  The conspiracy theorists are having a field day speculating national archer Haziq Kamaruddin's death yesterday. This despite the Health Ministry issuing a statement this morning, stating that the 27-year-old Olympian died due to  coronary artery atherosclerosis . "No evidence to show his death is linked to #Covid19 vaccine" read the ministry's statement. Post mortem result shows 27-year-old Olympian Haziq Kamaruddin died due to coronary artery atherosclerosis. "No evidence to show his death is linked to #Covid19 vaccine." pic.twitter.com/DkJ8TdJ6Jx — Twentytwo13 (@Twentytwo13news) May 15, 2021 Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition which affects the arteries that supply the heart with blood. It is usually caused by atherosclerosis which is a buildup of plaque inside the artery walls. This buildup causes the inside of the arteries to become narrower and slows down the flow of blood. However, there are those who still want to believe otherwise. They...

It's the second day of Raya. I woke up to messages alerting me about the death of former boss and veteran newsman Datuk Wong Sai Wan. It is understood Sai Wan, who was Malay Mail editor-in-chief, suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre at about 5am. He didn't make it. He was 59. Sai Wan loved the newsroom as much as he loved golf, food and the Marvel character, Ironman.  He suffered a stroke but that didn't stop him from having a positive outlook to life. During his days with The Malay Mail, he believed in empowering the younger generation. He was among those (including Frankie D'Cruz and Malay Mail owner Datuk Siew Ka Wei) who believed in me and made me the executive editor of the newspaper then. Barely hours later, I received another shocking news that national archer Haziq Kamaruddin  passed away. Haziq, who would have turned 28 in July, represented Malaysia at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics (in the recurve men...

We don't know our history. Period. We don't even know our athletes. Period. Example: DATUK SOH CHIN ANN (not Chin Aun) Refer to this article in The Star:  Chin Aun’s name may be misspelt but he committed very few errors on field Until today legendary skipper Datuk Soh Chin Ann does not understand why was his name is spelt as Chin Aun. But that name is held in high esteem as one of the best defenders in Asia at the height of his powers in the 1970s. “When I pointed out the correct spelling of my name to my media friends, they simply shrugged it off. Perhaps they thought Ann was girlish. So the name Chin Aun stuck.” The Malaysian and Singapore papers carried his name as either Chin Aun or Chin Ann with no uniformity. Example: DATUK ASIRVATHAM VICTOR A/L ASIRUVATHAM (participated in two, not three Olympics) National news agency, Bernama, reported that Asirvatham - who passed away yesterday - represented Malaysia in three Olympics  and won 14 gold medals in the SEA Games and four...

This morning, I received a message from former Malaysia Athletics Federation (MAF) president Datuk Karim Ibrahim. It was about the death of 81-year-old Datuk Asirvatham "Asir" Victor. Dukacita dimaklumkan bekas atlet olahraga negara (Olimpik Tokyo 1964 & Olimpik Mexico 1968) Dato'Asirvatham Victor a/l Asiruvatham (No Ahli 526) telah meninggal dunia pada pagi ini. Takziah diucapkan kpd keluarga mendiang. @reezal_merican @wanfayhsal pic.twitter.com/gif9y1ZfbK — YAKEB (@YAKEB_) May 11, 2021 Asir took up athletics after he chased a school runner who took his pencil box during their schooling days in 1948. He went on to represent the country in the 4x400m and 400m even in two Olympics - Tokyo (1964) and Mexico (1968) - respectively. He won two silver medals in the Asian Games (1962 and 1966); picked up six gold medals in the SEAP Games (400m and 4x400m events) and represented Malaysia in the 1962 British & Empire Games. He was rushed to a private hospital in Ipoh th...

“If they have been appointed and sit on the highest management (of Perak), they should know that the payment of players’ salaries is of utmost importance. They must know how to look for funds and ensure a trouble-free journey for the team throughout the season.” Those were the words of acting Perak FA president Datuk Mohd Yadzan Mohammad. Read The Star for the full article. Also read Berita Harian's PAFA bidas pengurusan Perak FC . This is indeed music to ears.  If one is paid to do a task, he or she should do it. Period. If he or she can't do it, out you go. The same applies to other decision makers who are paid to make decisions. What baffles me the most is that people in positions fail in their task and when there's an uproar, they play the sympathy card and quickly work towards making things right. They are then quickly hailed as heroes. Shouldn't these people in power make the right decision in the first place instead of waiting for a backlash? Sounds familiar, no...

  World Cup winner Pandelela Rinong tweeted this in support of Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam. Ain, 17, revealed her teacher had allegedly made lewd jokes in class. After speaking out, she had to endure backlash including a rape threat from a schoolmate. Recently an individual who many claim to be Ain's school principal had made unsavory comments against the teenager on Facebook. Pandelela, being an international athlete, used her platform to throw her support for Ain. And her tweet has gained plenty of traction. That's the power of an athlete. This reminds me of a webinar I was involved in last Thursday. I was invited by World Learning as a guest speaker alongside Dr Lindsay Krasnoff of New York University, Dr Muqtedar Khan of University of Delaware and Dr Loic Tregoures of Catholic University of Paris. We discussed about sports and politics. Just before we ended, I raised a scenario. When politicians use sports to take a stand or promote a narrative, it oftens invites criticism. Wh...

Update 12.01pm : After receiving backlash, the Youth and Sports Ministry will now raise several issues with the National Security Council this evening, including the directive of prohibiting people from exercising in public in MCO areas -- The Movement Control Order starts today in Kuala Lumpur. The MCO started yesterday in six districts Selangor. What became a huge talking point is the decision to allow Ramadan bazaars to operate but exercising in public spaces is prohibited. The image above also made its rounds on social media. A good friend remarked: "At this rate, there's just no point voicing out anymore as clearly the decision makers don't listen, or even think." He said he will still exercise by "walking to the nearest Ramadan bazaar". "That way I not only get to work out but also support the traders at the bazaar." I share his sentiments.

Demi Malaysia. It basically means For Malaysia. If you haven't notice, that is the latest catchphrase (and hashtag) used by the Youth and Sports Ministry and its agencies. The Demi Malaysia "war cry" was launched last month but those within Wisma KBS insist it is not to replace the likes the existing phrases. I remember during a recent (not sports related) discussion, several panelist had questioned if the term "Malaysia Boleh" is still relevant.  There was also "Kita Juara" which was widely used during the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur when Khairy Jamaluddin, or better known as KJ, was the youth and sports minister.  For the record, Kita Juara was also a programme for elite athletes that was launched in 2015 . "Demi Malaysia" seems to have a nice ring - at least to me. What are your thoughts?

It is understood K. Prabudass had yesterday set a new national record of 1:07:00s set in Japan. I reached out to Malaysian Athletics Federation Datuk S.M. Muthu minutes ago to clarify if the national body recognises the timing set and if it is indeed a national record. His reply: "I'm driving, I got no time." He then hung up. Can someone confirm if a new national record has been set? Anyone? 

However, as Malaysia continues to record more than 3,000 new cases daily, the grim question is it practical to go ahead with the event? This was asked by sports journalist Fabian Peter as published in the New Straits Times today. Conversations are still being held if Malaysia should host the Malaysia Open. I had on Feb 10, said the BA of Malaysia should forget hosting the Malaysia Open this year .  But will Yonex be disturbed? The brand had recently invested millions of ringgit to be the BA of Malaysia's sponsor. Without a tournament and the lack of badminton coverage (no quotes from players, officials) in an English daily following an on-going legal dispute, will this satisfy Yonex? Perhaps the Covid-19 pandemic has taught brands that they can just rely on their online platforms to reach out to their fans. Many brands these days are airing their commercials on YouTube instead of television stations. So where does this leave the media? That aside, perhaps not having the Malaysia O...