Sunday, November 20, 2011

IS MAAU THE ONLY ONES TO BE BLAMED?

Everyone is pointing the finger at MAAU for the Malaysian 4 X 400m Sea Games gold medal winning relay quartet's return without being present for the victory ceremony.
Yes, MAAU should be questioned for overlooking this quartet of Muhammad Yunus Lasaleh, S. Kamnnathsan, Schuan Ahmad Rosley and P. Yuvaaraj from the start despite the strong recommendation from their coach K. Jayabalan and only allowed them to compete after a last-minute trials.
MAAU sending them under the 'B' category is no fault of MAAU because under the OCM qualification under 'A' category, they had to meet the last Games third placing - which the quartet did not.
Yes, MAAU could have booked the quartet to return a day after their race instead of the next day. But was it MAAU who did the booking? Or if they did, did anyone check with MAAU whether they had attempted to book the athletes to come the day after? Maybe there were no seats available and flying back the next day was the only option.
Okay, MAAU is at fault in anycase. It has been decided by the Media, the Sports Ministry, NSC, fellow athletes and the public too.
Now here is the million ringgit question which many closed their eyes to - How come the Chef-de-Mission or his deputies, the Sports Minister or his deputies, the National Sports Council, the many State Sports Council heads who were in Jakarta and the many Datuks present at the Games and sponsors, failed to come forward to be saviours and book the quartet in another flight and put them up for another night so that they could have collected their medals.
No one came forward, but everyone criticised MAAU.
Afterall, it was only about four air-tickets from Jakarta which would have at most cost RM2,500 and one night's accommodation!
It is sad that everyone joins in the bandwagon to critise, but are not pro-active and think of immediate solutions.
I think everyone should take the blame for the quartet missing the victory ceremony.
Just one more question - if the quartet had failed to win the gold medal, what would have been the scenario?
Let us not all not join in the bangwagon when it suits us and jump off it when it does not!
This is Malaysian sports for you.
In anycase Kudos to the quartet.
And it give food for thought about sending athletes who are in the fringe to making the qualification mark or budding athletes who have potention and need to be groomed.
This calls for OCM to make a stand on the third placing qualification mark and also NSC who should be funding 'B" category athletes who have potential and in the name of development.
Afteral, NSC is the one that us claiming that they are into development big time. Whether it is in their scope of job, that is another question only they can answer.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tony,
A very critical observation about the SEA games fiasco. No point fingering MAAU or NSC for their oversight on this matter. The policy makers and also the decision makers were there witnessing and what u have said , no one came forward to salvage the situation.What's the point of having a Chef de Mission and not able to solve this problem. That guy must be busy playing golf somewhere or the not my job syndrome effect!!!. Well said Tony. Keep posting the eye openers.

Just KCNR

Anonymous said...

Yes Tony. Instead of taking a rap at MAAU, the NSC and OCM, if they are sincere, could have bought new tickets for the athletes. The NSC and OCM should also take the responsibilty for the fiasco

rizal hashim said...

there are also other aspects of preparation that required MAAU's attention. And that we have to seriously look at MAAU's governance!

1. standard practice, if you have a quartet registered for the relay, why no runner was registered for the individual race?

2. if maau had any form of data of all runners in the region, they would have been able to convince the selection committee of OCM, comprising officials from OCM and NSC, that sending the relay team and individual 400m runner was feasible.

3. the relay quartet was summoned to compete by manager Rajemah Sheikh Ahmad...they had a trial a few days beforehand...poor planning on MAAU's part.

Do you know Tony, that they were two runners who had registered faster times in the 100m and yet they were not selected?

Anonymous said...

Hehehe since when you become defender of MAAU and bashing NCS who you are so strongly attach and work with. Come on tony don't simply defend the un organize and overzealuos association. Do you know how jayabalan, hamber mahat and thambu fighting with the great karim about selection of coaches and athletes to sea games?? Do you know how karim try to undermine the quartet and conduct trial just before they when to sea games?? Check you fact bro.

Don't blame the datuk just because there are there. Don't just blame OCM, nsc because they are try to managing the whole contingent. MAAU must be responsible and brave enough to say they are sorry for the fiasco. Period

tonymariadass said...

Yes, hide behind anonymous and comment. Be like Rizal Hashim who is man enough to name himself when commenting. That is conviction and being passionate. Anyway, just to clarify, I am not defending MAAU or bashing NSC...mere observations and views! Just food for thought. but if it hurts, what can I say! Maju-lah sukan untuk Negara and bukan individu!