PROFESSIONAL IN NAME ONLY

Time for M'sian sports to break free from power-greedy administrators, leaders

Malaysian sports, despite its tremendous potential, has not been able to tap its talent to the fullest due to politicking.

By Tony Mariadass - December 30, 2019 @ 9:51am

In just two days, we will herald in the start of the second decade of the 21st century.

Sadly, Malaysian sports, despite its tremendous potential, is still stuck in a time warp.

Despite having ultra-modern facilities and abundant of funding, we have not been able to tap talent to its fullest.

So, why is that?

Simple. It all boils down to politics in sports, where those tasked with managing sports associations have personal agendas and use it as a platform to elevate themselves to positions of power and riches.

In other words, although many sports have turned professional, there is nothing professional about their approach in running or managing the sports associations.

With such an attitude, the proper governance of sports through transparency, fairness and sportsmanship is thrown out of the window.

Each time a sport does not achieve its desired targets, coaches and athletes are made scapegoats while the officials stay on.

Many national sports associations (NSAs) also do not take kindly to being singled out for their poor management and over-ambitious officials.

Some even go on a witch hunt to nail the “messengers”, who in some cases are sports journalists with no vested interest, except to tell the truth.

And it is here — in the NSAs and SSAs (state sports associations) — that the rot has set in, no thanks to power-greedy officials who know nothing about sports or the sports associations they are in control of.

Ideally, we should have former sportsmen and women returning to serve their associations without fear or favour and free from any personal agenda.

Having said that, the responsibility for choosing the right people lies in the hands of the affiliates and members. They must be careful not to be swayed by promises of grants, trips and gifts.

The NSAs and SSAs must also learn to stand on their own two feet and not always depend on the National Sports Council (NSC) for funding.

At the same time, the NSC must also let the NSAs and SSAs learn to source for their own funding instead of molly-coddling them and bailing them whenever they get into trouble.

It’s also time that sport officials focus on one association only and not spread themselves thin by heading more than one sports body.

In other words, one must learn to live without the other.

NSA officials also shouldn’t hold office at the state-level because this will lead to a conflict of interest.

And all elected officials must serve sports and not themselves with trips, looking for positions at Asean, Asian or even international level.

While it is good that local sports officials hold positions at international levels, they must first prove themselves by elevating the status of their respective sports in Malaysia.

There are many more ills which need to be addressed urgently, including the constant interference of the Sports Ministry, including through their agency — the NSC.

It is only a matter of time before some NSAs report to the International Olympic Council (IOC) and we will be in trouble.

There are many more aspects that we need to re-look to get our act right.

But first, we need to ask ourselves these questions:

1. Does the Sports Advisory Panel have the right people? Have they made any difference?

2. Has our selection process been transparent and fair? Are the best athletes being chosen?

3. Have we selected or brought in the right foreign players? Are they being brought in just for the sake of having foreign players? Has their presence curtailed the opportunities of local players?

4. Has there been proper accountability by SSAs and NSAs?

5. Have the SSAs and NSAs done enough for the development of sports and are existing programmes effective, well-managed and productive?

6. Has the match-fixing menace been totally eradicated?

7. Are our first-class facilities being managed by third-class managers?

8. Do all our athletes have a professional and winning mind-set?

9. Do we have enough professional coaches, who are armed with the latest knowledge of their respective sports?

10. Are the athletes’ welfare being looked after adequately?

11. Are ex-internationals doing enough to give back to sports?

12. Are our programmes well managed or haphazardly prepared? Do we have well-prepared short- as well as long-term programmes?

13. Do we have the “right brains” running the various sports associations?

Hopefully, as we head into 2020, most of these questions will be answered in the affirmative — as long as those in power believe in — and practice — transparency, fair play, honesty and sportsmanship.

Do that and Malaysian sports will hit unprecedented heights in 2020 and beyond.