NSC to channel funds only after receiving training programmes

KUALA LUMPUR: No training programmes, no allocation.

That is the message from the National Sports Council (NSC) to all National Sports Associations (NSAs).

NSC director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said the NSAs would have to send and table their training programmes to him by next January.

“It’s already November and we should at least have their training plans for next year. But until today there has been nothing.

“If there are no training plans, how are we to give them the allocations? Today’s dialogue session is a timely reminder to the NSAs to prepare their training programmes,” he told reporters after delivering the keynote address at the two-day Training Programme Stipulation Workshop 2019 involving 26 NSAs at NSC in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The government has allocated RM100 million under Budget 2019 for the preparation of athletes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“The two-day workshop is expected to come up with next year’s training programme, followed by the estimated spending for the senior programmes first as priority will be given to important multi-sports events like the SEA Games, Asiad, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

“We plan to hold a separate workshop involving about 30 sports which were not contested at those events. We will study and analyse their programmes,” he said.

On the status of the Podium athletes’ contract, Ahmad Shapawi said the NSAs had to clarify their proposals on the athletes at today’s workshop.

“The associations must explain in detail any suggestions they have regarding their Podium athletes. Perhaps, there may be some names they want to drop from the Podium Programme,” he said.