If Azizulhasni Awang goes on to win the historic
gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics which ends on Sunday (he has been targeted to
win in the keirin), everything will be ‘hunky dory'.
The Tokyo Olympics will be remembered as a
success despite the overall ‘lukewarm’ performance.
If he fails, or even get a silver or bronze
medal, all hell will break loose, especially in the social media, although all
sorts of excuses will be given by the authorities for failing to achieve the
one gold medal and medals from badminton, diving, and cycling.
For all the effort and determination of
Azizulhasni and his coach Beasley and the money spent on cycling, we hope that
he wins the gold medal.
But it is easier said than done and Azizulhasni’s
opponents are certainly going to do everything possible to deny the former the
honour.
Rest assured the Malaysian camp, especially
officials from the Ministry of Sports, National Sports Council (NSC), National
Sports Institute (NSI) and association, will be at the velodrome cheering Azizulhasni
to win the gold and probably even wearing Azizulhasni for Gold T-shirts, as was
the case in Rio five years ago.
Azizulhasni bags the gold, and it will be
celebration time and euryopia and rightful so.
But do not forget the overall performance at the
Games still needs to be addressed.
As in every other multi-sports Games like the Sea
Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics Games, a report will be prepared
and will be debated and preparation for the next Games at France in three years’
time will begin.
How many Games have come and gone at all levels,
and each time when the next Games come, we are faced with the same problems and
issues?
Millions of ringgits are allocated each time, programmes
are launched or modified, but in the end nothing substantial is achieved.
Without doubt the last Games in 2016 – Rio Games –
bore the best results where Malaysia bagged four silver medals and a bronze medal - in badminton,
diving and cycling final – Lee Chong Wei, Goh Liu Ying- Chan Peng Soon and Goh
V Chem and Tan Wee Kiong winning silver medals; Pandelela and Jun Hoong silver
in diving and Azizulhasni winning bronze in keirin.
Former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin paid tribute to Datuk Seri
Ahmad Shabery Cheek for his initiative in establishing the ‘Road to Rio’
programme when he was the Youth and Sports minister four earlier, which Khairy said
led to the success in Rio because of a foundation paid well.
Khairy
then went to say that plans start for Tokyo 2020 immediately.
Leading
to Tokyo we have had three sports ministers – Khairy, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and current Reezal
Merican Naina Merican.
Here
itself, one would question if there was a smooth plan in place or changes with
every minister.
Yes,
there is NSC who were supposed to be the guiding force to the Ministers. But was transition each time
done professionally or with personal agendas.
And
what about the money allocated for the preparation of the Tokyo Games?
Was
it well spent for the benefit for the athletes?
In 2018,
the then government allocated RM100 million for the
country’s preparations for the 2020 Olympics and then Finance Minister Lim Guan
Eng had said when tabling 2019 Budget.
He said the
purpose of the allocation was to continue Malaysia’s pursuit of the elusive top
prize at the Olympics.
Then in February 2020, under Sports Minister Syed Saddiq, as the hunt for Malaysia’s first ever Olympic gold
intensified, the Sports Ministry decided to give an extra “financial push” to
the various sports in their last lap of preparations for Tokyo with an allocation
of RM22.5 million.
The allocation for the various sports were cycling: RM8.37 million,
badminton: RM6.45 million, diving: RM2.32 million, sailing: RM1.96 million,
archery: RM940,710, golf: RM738,000, artistic gymnastics: RM644,905, karate:
RM588,975, swimming: RM477,000.
Syed Saddiq had said that the RM22.5 million was for use between January
and August and added that they got closer to the Games, the athletes may have
additional requirements to achieve those marginal gains needed and they will look
if it is necessary to allocate more funds then.
So far, we have won just one bronze medal through youngsters, Aaron Chia
and Soh Wooi Yik in men’s badminton doubles – who were not targeted to bag a medal.
The media also had built the hype for Tokyo, playing to the tune of the administrators,
and built up the hopes of Malaysians.
But as we fell short with each passing day at the Games, all sorts of
excuses were given and the main and ready-made excuse was the Covid-19 pandemic
which had hindered their preparation because of lock downs, under able to
travel for competitions, competitions cancelled, stress and others.
Malaysia was not the only country in the world affected by the pandemic.
It was a level playing field for all countries with the challenges.
The question is how well Malaysia managed the situation and look at
alternatives to prepare the athletes to the best.
Could places like Langkawi and Perlis, which were safer places during
the pandemic, could have been used as base.
Let us not forget that this time around, preparation period was five
years and not four years for Olympics.
NSC and the respective sports associations had the luxury of having the
Olympic bound athletes for the longest period without interruptions from
domestic and international competitions.
So how well did the planners think out of the box in their preparation
plans. How did the rest of the world manage and did well at the Olympics?
I do not blame the athletes, for their prepared to their best with the
platform offered to them.
The ones who qualified for the Games should be congratulated. Those who
achieved their personal best or national records should be applauded and those who won medals
praised for their determination and excellence.
As far as rewards for athletes
who won medals, it is all in place through the rewards scheme for Olympic Games
where individual gold
medal winners will be entitled to RM1 million, silver medal and bronze medal
winners will get RM300,000 and RM100,000 respectively. For team sports, the
amounts remain the same and will be awarded to the team to be shared.
Then there
is the SHAKAM (Skim Imbuhan Tetap Olimpik – Permanent Olympic
Reward Scheme) programme - where winning athletes will be paid a
monthly allowance for a lifetime (pension). Gold medallists will earn a monthly
pension of RM5,000, silver medallists RM3,000 and bronze medallists, RM2,000. To
date, as many as 13 Olympic athletes have reaped rewards through the SHAKAM
programme.
Of
course, with winning medals comes sponsorships and endorsement deals.
Afterall, Malaysia’s reward
scheme for Olympics is among the third highest among top 10 nations.
Thus, athletes cannot complain of not being rewarded for their efforts, sacrifices and achievements.
This brings us to questions why Malaysia still has not achieved its true
potential in sports.
Here was a few to ponder on for our under achievements:
a) Politics in sports
b) Sports officials who are not qualified leading associations
c) Sports officials overstaying their welcome in associations
d) Younger and former sportsmen and women, kept out of sports associations their
excel in
e) National sport associations (NSAs) selling their soul to NSC when they
should be playing the main role in promoting and developing their respective
sports.
f) NSAs are totally responsible for the development of their respective
sports and should engage their former athletes.
g) Talent scouting must be a permanent feature in every NSAs and executed
widely to identity new talent and groom them. (currently talent scouting is virtually
nonexistence)
h) There must be a large pool of talent available for all sports who can
step into the shoes of those who are aging or failed to live up to their
potential.
i) NSC and NSAs should stop depending on athletes who do well for forever by
flocking them till they get injured and get old.
j) Younger and potential athletes should be given adequate training, exposure,
and support.
k) Sports in Malaysia should be blind to colour, creed, and race. Let the
best be allowed to represent the nation. Everyone should be treated fairly and with
no favouritism.
l) Coaches should be given full responsibility for their athletes and teams.
m) Coaches should be the ones given priority to accompany their athletes
for competitions and NOT administrative officials or officials who are close to
the higher ups in their respective associations.
n) NSC not giving the recognition to NSAs and taking control of them
o) NSC handling training and management of athletes when NSAs are the
authorities in their respective sports
p) NSC should serve as the one-stop centre for dispersing money allocated
to NSAs by the Sports Ministry and not take charge of NSAs and when failure
occurs blame the NSAs and when seek glory when achievements are derived.
q) NSI to play a more supporting role for all and not selected sports or a few athletes. Every NSA should have access to NSI’s facilities and their assistance and guidance.
r0 Athletes too have to have the desire to excel and use the opportunity for themselves to elevate their life. Most of our athletes are comfortable and lack the hunger. Probably athletes from difficult backgrounds who will do better for Malaysia. We need to find these athletes from the poverty sector or difficult living backgrounds and give them the platform to rise out of their predicament
I could go on to list a few more, but I will stop because even to
rectify the above is going to be a dream which may never be realised.
Without doubt, post mortems and reports are going to be made on the Tokyo Olympics with recommendations,
but as usual it is going to be a futile exercise, as it is going to end in the
cupboards in the storeroom collecting dust.
Just pick anyone of the many previous reports, and the answers to
Malaysia becoming a powerhouse will be staring at your face.
Will anyone pick it up and implement it? Your guess and answer are as
good as mine!
I have been in think tank and review groups but have never seen the end
report surface or being utilised.
At this point, I believe officials who had played a role in the decline
of Malaysian sports, should gracefully step down and allow fresh faces to come
on aboard and try something new and different.
Will it happen?
