Earn your stripes

Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, was spot-on when he said that National Sports Associations (NSAs) must not rely on handouts from the government, but instead should strive to source their own finances.
No doubt the government still plays the role to promote sports in the country, it should spend most of it money on sports facilities and programmes to instill sports culture, rather than funding NSAs. Yes, funding to NSAs can be extended when they compete in international meets and for international coaching coaches and stints for athletes. But the bulk of the money for the running of the associations, their development programmes, competitions and organisations of international meets should come from them. (refer to this story)

The fact that NSAs want the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to play a more effective role in areas of finance, is really going down to the pits.

Already they are funded handsomely by the National Sports Council (NSC) and they have the audacity to ask for more funds.

Remember not so long ago, we had the Rakan Sukan programme where NSAs have corporate sponsors? What happened to it? Most NSAs failed to put the funds to good use and there was not much transparency that the many corporate sponsors wanted out.(refer to this story)

Remember, when Dunhill was sponsoring in millions to the FA of Malaysia and in turn the funds were channeled to the State FAs and after years of money at their disposal, the soccer standards have only declined. Whatever happened to the funds? Were they put to good use like development and setting up a proper administration unit? (refer to this story).

Basically, NSAs have to start running their associations like corporations and have to look for funds and be accountable for it. Corporations are willing to come forward and sponsor if there is proper accountability, transparency and mileage for them. Take for example the Malaysian Amatuer Basketball Association (MABA), who have had Petronas sponsoring them for years, Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) who have Canon supporting them, Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) who have Proton assisting them, Squash Racquet Association of Malaysia (SRAM) with CIMB backing them and even a rugby club like Combined Old Boys Rugby Assocaition (Cobra) who have HSBC supporting them.

All these associations and club, have the support of these corporate organisations mainly because they are transparent, have proper programmes, are accountable and above all have results to show.

It is about time that all NSAs start moving in this direction, because it is the only way sports is going to improve in the country.

As long as NSAs wait for handouts to carry out their activities, they are going to be irrelevant and fade into obscurity.

THE Government too, should only reward NSAs who have results to show, so that these rewards will serve as an incentive for NSAs to strive hard to achieve the desired results.

So stand up and be counted in the name of Malaysian sports!