10 athletes appeal to feature in Asian Games
KUALA LUMPUR: The Olympic Council of Malaysia (MOM) today accepted the appeals of 10 athletes to be listed either in Category A or B for the 2018 Asian Games to be held in Jakarta-Palembang from August 18 to September 2.
OCM’s Appeals Committee chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohamad Zabidi said after reviewing the appeals from 30 national sports associations, another 10 athletes and three officials would be included in the contingent.
The decision will see the country’s largest ever contingent at the Games with 447 athletes and 140 officials, compared to the previous largest contingent which had 333 athletes during the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
Among the additions made were for the men’s 3x3 basketball squad (Category B) and three athletes from the women’s artistic gymnastics squad, namely Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Tan Ing Yueh and Tracie Ang (Category A), as well as another official each for the athletics and triathlon squads.
Meanwhile, Abdul Azim, who is also the chef-de-mission of the country’s Asian Games contingent, said appeals from the Under-23 national football squad and the women’s badminton team squad to be shifted from Category B to A, were rejected.
“Appeals from the female hockey, handball, kabaddi, paragliding, martial arts and rugby squads to be included in Category A were also rejected. The women’s sepak takraw and shooting squads will remain in Category B, while artistic swimming (formerly known as synchronised swimming) will also be placed in Category B.
“Jet skiing was previously placed in Category A, but since they are not members of the OCM, we decided to push them into Category B. The application from the sambo (martial arts) squad to be listed for the Asian Games was rejected, as they handed it in too late.
“For surfing which has a new event, namely wind surfing, we have not made a decision because there is a tournament on June 27. After seeing the (athletes’) achievements at the tournament, we will make a decision,” he told reporters after chairing the meeting at Wisma OCM here yesterday.
The government will only incur expenses for athletes listed in Category A, while the expenses for those in Category B shall be borne by the respective sporting associations or the athletes themselves but they would be reimbursed if they managed to win a medal.
On the medal target, Abdul Azim said he believed the national contingent would be able to do better than the five gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze medals won in Incheon, South Korea, four years ago. - Bernama