Weightlifting, sepak takraw, taekwondo dropped as national core sports
KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday announced that weightlifting, sepak takraw and taekwondo have been dropped from the list of national core sports due to poor performance or not showing improvement.
He said the decision was made after the ministry and the National Sports Council (MSN) conducted a review including an in-depth study on the performances of the three sports since 2007.
He said deteriorating performance other than numerous disciplinary problems such athletes failing doping tests were the main reasons weightlifting was dropped while sepak takraw and taekwondo were dropped for not showing improvement in their performances.
“The performance of weightlifting is deteriorating and athletes are facing disciplinary problems whereby seven doping cases have been reported by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since four years ago. Sepak takraw did not focus much on development aspects and the world ranking is threatened by emerging countries.
“The achievement of taekwondo is extremely not satisfactory. This sport does not exhibit positive achievements and the crisis in the sport has resulted in disunity among stakeholders.
Khairy said this at a media conference after a signing ceremony on the sponsorship of 100PLUS with Kuala Lumpur Sports City at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here today.
In this regard, Khairy said following the announcement the three sports were also being dropped from the 2018 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Perak and that their involvement in numerous National Sports Council (MSN) and Malaysian Education Ministry programmes would be limited.
At the same time, Khairy explained that the action was not a form of punishment but a move to save these sports, saying that the ministry and MSN would cooperate closely with the associations concerned to revive them.
“This is not a punishment but a decision made based on their performances to date which shows the associations need help to recover. And until that is achieved, it is apt that they be dropped as core sports.
“Nevertheless, MSN will work closely with the associations towards rebuilding these sports and there is a chance for them to be included again as core sports,” Khairy added. – Bernama