Veteran keeper Kumar to play in Tour of Argentina
KUALA LUMPUR: Goalkeeper S. Kumar, who recently served out a six-month doping suspension, has been included in the national men’s hockey squad for the Tour of Argentina.
The team will leave for Buenos Aires on Monday where they will play six friendly matches against Rio Olympic champions Argentina.
The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) announced a list of 20 players for the tour from May 24 to June 1 as part of preparations to challenge for gold at the Indonesia Asian Games in August.
Kumar failed a doping test during the Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh, last October when a small amount of sibutramine – prohibited by the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada) – was found in his urine sample.
Malaysia lost to India 1-2 in the final of the Asia Cup, which was their best performance before Kumar was banned.
Once rated as the No. 1 goalkeeper in Asia, Kumar did not play in the recent Azlan Shah Cup and Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, where Malaysia finished fourth and fifth respectively.
MHC president Datuk Subahan Kamal said it is good to see Kumar back in the national team and one of the two goalkeepers selected.
“He has been training hard the last few weeks and has shown he’s one of the better goalkeepers.
“The players are confident around him. These matches (in Argentina) will be important to him as we hope he can help us for the Asian Games mission,” said Subahan, adding that two players – Muhd Firhan Ashari and Ramadhan Rosli – were left out due to injuries.
The absence of the duo paved the way for Muhammad Haziq Samsul and Muhammad Najib Abu Hassan to make their national team debuts.
Subahan also added the MHC have received an offer to host the Hockey Series World Finals in June next year.
“We plan to do it at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil and it will be another route to the Tokyo Olympics for us.
“The Asian Games is the first option to qualify for the Olympics but we need to win it.
“There is now a second option by finishing in the top two and we’re keen to do it.
“MHC are also interested in hosting the 2022 World Cup for men and women.
“Our national men’s team can compete with any top team in the world while I believe our women’s side will be competitive by then.
“However, any final decision to go ahead will depend on the support from the state exco members.
“We will have our MHF exco meeting on June 2 to discuss this,” he said.
THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Muhammad Hairi Abdul Rahman, S. Kumar.
Defence: Mohamad Sukri Abdul Mutalib, Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim, Muhammad Najmi Farizal Jazlan, Syed Mohamad Syafiq Syed Cholan, Faiz Helmi Jali, Muhammad Najib Abu Hassan.
Midfield: Muhammad Azri Hassan, Meor Muhamad Azuan Hassan, Muhammad Marhan Jalil, Joel Samuel Van Huizen, Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor, Muhammad Amirol Aideed Mohd Arshad.
Forwards: Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil, Faizal Saari, Nik Muhammad Aiman Nik Rozemi, Norsyafiq Sumantri, Muhammad Shahril Saabah, Muhammad Haziq Samsul.