‘Problems at football academy must be addressed’

KUANTAN: Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is disappointed with all the issues and problems with the RM85 million Academy Mokhtar Dahari (AMD), which could disrupt football development in the country.

Syed Saddiq, who made a surprise visit to the academy in Gambang here yesterday, saw first-hand the many serious problems and weaknesses that must be addressed.

He said some of the training facilities and equipment were unsuitable. This, he said, defeated the purpose of the academy, which was to be a hub for the development of football in the country.

“I am disappointed with the problems happening here at AMD, especially concerning the facilities and equipment. Another problem is the lack of balls for practice, which affected the players’ performance.”

Present was AMD director Yusof Ibrahim.

AMD was built in 2016 at a cost of RM85 million, with the objective of providing high performance training and international-level exposure.