Karatekas back to training at home

Sabah’s Malaysia Games (Sukma) karate trainees have been advised to remain focus in their training despite the latest enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sepak Takraw League Champions Cup in Iskandar Puteri, Johor which has to be stopped temporarily will resume after the Movement Control Order (MCO).

The Malaysian Sepak Takraw Association (PSM) president Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail said the national players taking part in the championship had returned to the National Sports Council Complex (MSN), Bukit Jalil to continue the training session while the rest had gone back to their respective states.

He said that all the players and competition officials involved in the STL Champions Cup which started since January 10 were required to undergo a Covid19 screening test as soon as the championship was allowed to resume.

‘’If it is allowed, we will give the opportunity to the competing teams to conduct training for five days to a week before continuing the championship,’’ he told Bernama.

MCO was enforced in Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Sabah, Kelantan and the Federal Territories for 14 days until January 26.

However, in Sarawak, the implementation of MCO starting from January 16 until January 29 involving three districts in Sibu Division, namely, Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit.

Conditional MCO meanwhile, is being implemented in Pahang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan.

In the meantime, Ahmad Ismail was satisfied at the quality of the judging at the STL Champions Cup despite conceding still receiving several complaints on the matter.

He said PSM was always seeking to prevent mistakes by the competition juries to ensure the competition proceeded smoothly.

The STL Champions Cup involved the best six teams in the STL Premier Division, namely, this season’s champions Kuala Lumpur Thunders, ATM Guardians, Johor Tigris, Negeri Sembilan Antlers, Kelantan Warriors and Penang Black Panthers, and the two best teams in the STL Division: Bomba Fighters and Putrajaya Cyborg.

Johor Tigris, which won third place in the STL Premier Division this season, is the STL Champions CUP’s defending champions.