Non-Olympic sports may be dropped from Podium Programme
KUALA LUMPUR: Non-Olympic Sports and athletes who are not involvedinthe2020TokyoOlympics are expected to be dropped from the Podium Programme in an effort to improve the elite athlete programme.
Youth and Sports Ministry ( KBS) secretary- general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali said that Malaysia’s first gold medal at the Olympics is the priority of the Podium Programme at the moment.
He said the decision to improve the programme, which had incurred an expenditure of RM67 million to date, would be taken soon after taking into consideration the views and discussions in the two- day Podium Programme Post Mortem Workshop which started yesterday.
“The Asian Games have ended and the next focus is to win the first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo 2020.
“I think there is a suggestion to look back at the sports to be contested in Tokyo 2020.
“The direction of the athletes who are not involved will be discussed later, where we have other programmes like Kita Juara which also provide support to
The main goal of the Podium Programme is Tokyo 2020, it is important to use all the resources under this programme for that purpose. Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali, Youth and Sports Ministry secretary-general
athletes.
“The main goal of the Podium Programme is Tokyo 2020, it is important to use all the resources under this programme for that purpose.
“Improvements need to be made to give greater room and opportunities for achievements in 2020,” he told a press conference after delivering welcome speech at the workshop, which was held behind closed doors, at the National Sports Council ( MSN), here.
Sports under the Podium Programmme which would not be contested at the Tokyo Olympics are squash, bowling, martial arts and wushu.
The workshop involved al l stakeholders, namely, KBS representatives, National Sports Institute ( ISN), MSN, Olympic Council of Malaysia ( MOM), national sports associations, coaches, athletes in the programme and independent members.
Lokman said all opinions and discussions obtained from the workshop would be refined by an independent review panel and the decision will be announced by Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
On the decision to retain the Podium Programme under the ISN or to place it under MSN which is more adept at the management of athletes, he said the ministry had to wait for the outcome of the discussion as it involved many other effects in terms of administration including human resources.
The upgrade might also involve new sports at the Olympics to the Podium Programme, as well as looking at preparations for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022 and the Paris Olympics 2024, he said. — Bernama