MPC to focus on 2021 Vietnam Asean Para Games

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) will now shift its attention to its plans for the 2021 Asean Para Games in Vietnam following the decision of the Asean Para Sports Federation (APSF) to cancel the 2020 Asean Para Games in the Philippines.

MPC president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin said a meeting with the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), the National Sports Council (MSN) and the National Sports Institute (ISN) would be held to discuss the preparations for the contingent apart from extending the contracts of athletes which are expiring at the end of this month.

“MPC is relieved over the matter (cancellation) and we can start thinking on next year’s plan. I will inform on the cancellation before we meet together and plan for the next direction,” he told a media conference yesterday.

The 2020 Asean Para Games was supposed to be held from January 18 to 24 but it was postponed to March 20 to 28 following financial and logistics constraints faced by the organisers before it was cancelled again due to the Covid19 pandemic.

APSF in a statement on Sunday officially cancelled the 2020 Asean Para Games in the Philippines following the Covid19 pandemic and will focus on organising the 2021 edition in Vietnam.

Megat D Shahriman said the cancellation of the biennial Games would see all 10 countries allowed to hold invitation tournaments as testing ground to gauge the performance of athletes before facing the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games and the 2021 Asean Para Games in Vietnam. - Bernama