National bodies must pay category B athletes’ bills
KUALA LUMPUR: National sports associations are responsible for meeting the expenses of national athletes under their charges to ensure they can participate in the 2018 Asian Games which begins on Aug 10 in Indonesia.
Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said several national athletes competing under category B had met him several days ago claiming that their national sports associations were forcing them to use their own money to Indonesia.
He, however, gave his assurance on finding a solution to ensure that the athletes could participate in the Games.
The sports associations involved would have to bear the expenses of their category B athletes and they would be repaid by the Olympic Council of Malaysia i f their athletes achieve at least bronze medals.
“TheMinistry(YouthandSports) will try to help the association in the best way possible and at the same time the association must also help the athlete as best as possible.
“Because of this, I have emph a si s e d t h at s p o r t s associations must be led by qualified people,” he told reporters yesterday.
Meanwhile, National Sports Council director- general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail pointed out that national sports associations were responsible for covering the expenses of their respective athletes, including category B to any foreign sports event.
“That’s why I say many times that there should be a compromise between the athletes involved with the sports associations, so we leave it to both parties to solve the problem,” said Ahmad Shapawi.
Earlier, Syed Saddiq attended a briefing with the management of the National Sports Council, the National Sports Institute and the Malaysia Stadium Corporation.
He also officiated the MSN Gal lery which showed the successes and achievements of Malaysian athletes at the international stage located at the MSN building lobby.
MOM president Datuk Seri Mohamad Nor z a Z aka r i a yesterday claimed that several associations were detected issuing instructions to each athlete competing under Category B to seek their own financial resources to cover expenses throughout the Asian Games.