THE LATEST FATHER AND DAUGHTER SHOW

By Tony Mariadass

https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2020/05/592943/malaysian-bowling-dynasty-rolls

UP -AND-COMING Gillian Lim hails from a fortunate breed of bowlers whose fathers were former national bowlers and then continued their affair with the sport as coaches.

Gillian's father Tony Lim Lee Choong was a former Singapore national bowler and then coached in Malaysia and Brunei.

Of course the most famous father-daughter combination is national coach Holloway Cheah and daughter Esther, who represents.

Gillian, 21, who is from Miri, Sarawak, started training under her dad's supervision when she was just eight.

And after some impressive showings on the bowling circuit starting from youth level, Gillian had been earmarked as one of country's top talents in the sport with a future that was going to set the lanes on fire, and with good reason too, having won two gold medals - the girls’ Masters and doubles with Nur Syazwani Sahar - at last year's Asian Youth Championships in Kuching.

Gillian, had her first taste of the sport at the Star Bowl (now known as Megalanes East) in Miri and started to compete in the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MMSM) bowling championship as a 10- year-old in 2009 and represented her home state till 2015.

In 2016, Gillian made her Malaysia Games debut in Sarawak where she won one gold (team) and silver (masters). It was the year when fellow Sarawakian Nerosha Keligit Thiagarajan made history by winning six gold medals.

A student from SMK St Joseph, Gillian took on star status when she clinched three gold medals - singles, doubles and team - in her debut appearance at the Asian Schools championship in 2017 in Kuching.

At the 2018 Malaysia Games in Perak, Gillian repeated her three-gold feat by winning the doubles, mixed doubles and team event – and grabbed a silver in the singles for good measure.

Elder brother, Ervin, was also making waves about the same time when he who won four gold medals at the 2016 Malaysia Games to help Sarawak emerge as a bowling powerhouse.

Yes, Ervin was also a bowler with a bright future in the sport and after his impressive showing in the 2016 Perak Malaysia Games, was selected for the national youth team, but not one who was attracted by the bright city lights of Kuala Lumpur, Ervin decided to remain in Miri where he could concentrate on his studies.

Ervin, nonetheless, managed to split his time between studies and bowling and went on to win the inaugural Brunei International bowling championship in 2012 representing Sarawak and also topped the Sports Excel National Junior Circuit Grand Prix finals in 2015.

His decision to concentrate on his studies paid off when he obtained a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and he is now in his final year for a degree at Swinburne College in Kuching.

Gillian also has an older step-brother, Lenny, who represented Singapore for two years (2002/03) and competed in the Asian Youth Bowling championship in 2002, the Philippines Open and World Championship in Kuala Lumpur in 2003.

Father, Tony, a former air steward, represented Singapore in the US Masters in Reno in 1977 where he was also attached with Brunswick during which time he learnt about ball fitting and drilling. He was coached by the renowned Carmen Salvino, a Bowling Hall of Fame inductee.

Besides winning the World Airlines Championship in Stockholm, Sweden where he represented his employers Singapore Airlines in 1978 and winning the Penang Open, Tony also won the Philippines Open in 1979 and represented Singapore at the World Championship that same year.

Many may not be aware, but Tony was the MTBC Director of Coaching from 2008 to 2010 and also coached in Sarawak and Brunei.

For the last 10 years, Tony has been managing a recreational complex in Brunei and continues to coach privately.

 "I am so proud that bowling, which has been a big part of my life, has rubbed off onto my children who have done well. Gillian could well be the star of the family,” said Tony in a telephone interview from Brunei where one could detect a sense of pride in his voice.

“Gillian is talented and very passionate about bowling. I hope to see her become the third member off the family to compete in World Championship, after Lenny and me. While we did not win a medal at the World Championship, we hope Gillian will. It will be a proud moment for us.”

Tony admits that one of his proudest moments to date was when his wife Angeline Wee and himself watched Ervin and Gillian in action during the Grand Finals of the Masters event in the Sukma 2016, Sarawak. "It was a big thrill for my wife and me," he said.

After a lull in competition, Gillain was looking forward her next big tournament, the World Youth Championship (WYC), scheduled to be held in Lima, Peru on Sept 2-7, but sadly it was called off due to the present Covid-19 pandemic.

The World Tenpin Bowling Congress (WTBC) has proposed that the tournament (WYC) be held alongside the World Junior Championships (WJC) as a combined competition in Helsingborg, Sweden, from June 26 to July 4 next year, but Gillian will be overaged by the time of the tournament next year.

The WYC is an Under-21 tournament while the WJC, which was inaugurated only last year, is for players under the age of 18.

However, Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) have written to WTBC and appealed if the tournament next year could still use the age limit for the 2020 tournament. The MTBC are awaiting a reply.

Holloway said that Gillian and Tun Ameerul Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam, who both will be 22 next year, were strong contenders for medals at the WYC and it will be shame if they have to give the championship a miss.

At the last WYC in 2018, Gillian together with Nur Syazwani Sahar, Nur Ameerahusna Azne and Nur Amirah Auni Azman took the bronze medal in Detroit, United States. Nur Syazwani had earlier won the All Events gold.

 Nur Syazwani and Shahrukh Amin Zulkifli, who took silver in the boys’ Masters event at the last championship, will still be eligible to compete next year.

 "I hope I can compete in the WYC but this will depend on whether or not the world body gives a positive answer and allow those who were supposed to compete this year to compete next year. After all it was not our fault that the WYC was called off,” said Gillian by phone from Miri.

“It will be sad if I cannot compete. I will take it in stride and continue working hard to move to the next level,” added Gillian who was promoted from youth to back-up squad which is also referred to as the Sea Games 2021 squad.

“That is Gillian. A fighter just like her father Tony who was known for his fighting qualities and never give up attitude during his playing days,” said Holloway.

Ends.

DON'T STRIP HARIMAU OF THEIR STRIPES

HARIMAU MALAYA ENDANGERED SPECIES

https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2020/05/592018/harimau-malaya-endangered-species

By Tony Mariadass

 

 

WHILE the tiger cannot change its stripes, Harimau Malaysia are in danger of losing their identity.

   And FAM should get a mauling by purists for causing a rush by foreign players with ancestral ties to Malaysia to become naturalised players.

   FAM did say that they are taking a strong and cautious stand in screening these foreign applicants with stringent criteria in place. But at the rate the national body, the state teams and clubs are going, Malaysian football is heading for a man-made disaster due to too much “naturalising.”

   FAM’s incongruous stand on naturalisation is certainly not helping when their senior officials give rather contradicting views on the recruitment of these players.

   FAM secretary-general Stuart Ramalingam admitted that the national body had received recommendations from football agents, after which they would  adopt strict screenings and go by Fifa regulations.

   He had also stated that FAM were keeping an eye on England-based Kobe Jae Chong and United States-based Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal.

   Then we have a blogger tracking down two players – New Zealander Harry Edge and Congolese Marcel Kalonda, and recommending them for the national team.

   In response, Stuart said FAM will protect local talent, and not fish for foreign talent like the Philippines and that if there were too many naturalised players, it would no longer be a national team. But he added that the national body will check out Edge and Kalonda.

   The biggest purveyor of  ‘naturalised talent’ for the national team is Datuk Wira Mohd Yusoff Mahadi, the chairman of FAM’s Naturalisation Programme Committee which were set up in 2018.

  He has stated FAM are open to using naturalised players for the national team but stressed that they would not rush into naturalising players and have strict guidelines on the matter.

  He has also made statements like “How long Malaysia have to wait for local players to rise to the occasion?”

  Yusoff went on to say that the presence of naturalised players will spur local players to work hard, raise their game and fight for their places in the national team.

  Spurring players to work hard?

  Yusoff, the deputy president of the Melaka United Soccer Association, will even find it hard to lift the spirits of his  Melaka players, who have problems getting their salaries. 

  Malacca can thank their lucky stars that FAM decided to give them an extension to settle their players’ salary arrears by yesterday. But they were slapped with a three-point league deduction for missing the Jan 31 deadline.

   With so many problems in his own  state team, it is a wonder that Yusoff  has been given such a huge task at national level — the programme of naturalising players.

   Among the players recruited by Yusoff’s committee are Matthew Davies, Darren Lok, Brendan Gan, Kiko Insa and Natxo Insa, all who had featured for the national team at one time or another.

  JDT’s Kosovo-born midfielder Liridon Krasniqi, who was recently granted Malaysian citizenship after staying for five years here, will be the latest to represent the national team.

  The 28-year-old became the second foreign footballer to be naturalised after Pahang’s Gambia-born Mohamadou Sumareh who received his Malaysian citizenship in 2018.

   Brazilian Guilerme de Paula, 33, after three seasons with Kuala Lumpur (now with Perak) has also applied to be a naturalised player.

   Under Fifa rules, players must have ancestral ties to the country that they wish to represent with either parent or grandfather born there. As for foreign-born players, they must live for at least five years, after reaching the age of 18, on the territory of the relevant association, and have never played for another national team.

   At the rate Malaysia are going on the foreign recruitment drive, we may end up with a national team of mainly naturalised players that the Harimau Malaya would look so unnatural.

   Though FAM insist they are still protecting local talent and not going out of their way to fish for foreign talent, it certainly does not look that way.

   Maybe one way to curb states and clubs from joining the naturalised players  bandwagon (to become part of their local players’ quota for the M-League), is to impose a two-year rule after being naturalised, to qualify as a local.

   Despite the short-term target (with naturalised players) to help Malaysia qualify for the Asian Cup and move up the world rankings, FAM should review their goal before it does more harm than good.

   FAM should stop looking at short cuts, which will only further stunt the growth of local talent, and instead focus on talent scouting seriously by combing the length and breadth of the country.

   It is no secret that Malaysian sports generally do not have a sound talent scouting system in place, which is imperative in Europe and most developing nations. 

  The expertise and experience of ex-international footballers are hardly utilised. And the ex-international association themselves, despite time and again being urged to get their members to get involved in talent scouting and work closely with FAM, are hardly proactive.

  Maybe it is time FAM hired fulltime talent scouts in numbers. It may take four or five years before we see any results, but with development programmes, especially with the National Football Development Programme already yielding some talented players, Malaysia can head in the right direction.

   Many may argue that getting naturalised players is still the best way forward and that is what many countries are doing, but do we want to see our national team with players who cannot speak Bahasa Malaysia or sing the Negaraku?  

  Or do we want foreigners who are in the twilight of their careers but hoping to have one last shine with our national team?

   We should give Malaysia’s “natural talent” a chance to grow with the national team and keep its identity. Don’t strip Harimau Malaya of its stripes.

 

 

ROCKY ROAD AHEAD FOR ORGANISERS

By Tony Mariadass

https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2020/05/591033/rocky-road-ahead#.XrYHcdLQzoU.gmail

Runs derailed by Covid 19 cause for concern

The Covid 19 pandemic which has forced all mass gathering for sporting activities, has affected the athletics fraternity badly with all road races come to a halt.

The running culture has caught on like wildfire in Malaysia that not a week goes by without a few road races around the country.

Most of the events, be it organised by State Athletics Associations (SAA), clubs, companies or organisations, or event managers, has been drastically affected them financially.

Most races are concentrated in the Klang Valley, but it has caught on in States like Pahang, Penang, Johor and Terengganu to name a few.

Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Athletics Association (FTKLAA), are among those who are suffering financially because of loss of income from these races and are hoping that the Kuala Lumpur Sports Council (KLSC), Kuala Lumpur Sports Council (KLSC) or City Hall, will come to their aid to assist them with grants to continue with their athletics development programmes and meets.

“FTKLAA is among the few athletics association who is very active with the development programmes and meets all year around. Mainly, our source of income for these programmes come from sanction fees (which is nominal) and assisting to organise the runs for companies, clubs and event managers,” said FTKLAA president Datuk S. Vegiyathuman.

“With ban of mass gatherings, runs and races have all come to halt and we do not know when it will be allowed again. Considering the severity of pandemic, it is expected to take some time before large gathering events are allowed,” said the veteran athletics official.

“While some funding comes from KLSC, KLSC or City Hall and sponsors, when we do events for them, the bulk of our funds come from runs and races we sanction or assist in organise.

“Among our development programmes includes walks circuit, jumps and throws events, development programmes for 13 years to 15 years (Under-distance, middle and long distance) and our State meet.

“We also have operating cost because unlike a majority State AAA, we have an office (at Olympic Council of Malaysia building) and two full time staff and our operational cost is about RM2,000 a month.”

Vegiyathuman said that annually, they assist in organising a minimum of 20 runs a year and also give sanctions for a nominal fee although not all races get our sanction.

“Our operations cost per year for all our development events and annual meets for athletics, cross-country and walks is easily RM200,000 and it is the funds from the races which assist us to manage the events.”

All State AAs receive and annual grant of RM5,000 a year from the national body – Malaysian Athletics Federation – although efforts are being made to ask for a higher subsidy.

Penang AA’s secretary, V. Govindsamy, who is also their technical chairman, said that they organise close to 50 runs of various sizes annually and their income too has been drastically affected.

Johor AAA secretary V. Mathivanan said they were luckier in the sense that the Johor Sports Council assists them greatly, although runs too brings them income.

“We do not have as many runs held like Kuala Lumpur, Selangor or Penang, but it still provides us additional funds which is now lost,” said Mathivanan.

“Although it is required for all runs held to be sanctioned, many, especially event managers, do not seek sanction, and we lose revenue here too.”

Mathivanan also said with the Sukma Johor and Para Sukma Games scheduled in July and August postponed to next year, which is still subject to confirmation, has also affected their training programme and funds for the events.

Selangor AAA secretary Rahim Mohd Noor said that they assist in about 20 runs a year and their income have been affected too.

“We work closely with the Selangor Sports Council and they assist use in our events. But without income from road races, we are stretched,” said Rahim.

Pahang AAA secretary, Datuk R. Annamalai, who is also the MAF vice-president, said Pahang assist and sanction about 20 to 25 runs annually and some of them like the IUUM marathon and half marathon Pahang Beach Run and a few others are big events are their main source of income.

“Some events have been postponed and we not know till when or whether it will be cancelled like many who have already cancelled their events.

“We work closely with the Pahang Schools Sports Council and now have to depend on them greater to do our development programmes and together the grant from MAF, have to manage somehow,” said Annamalai.

“We may also have to look into more ways to raise funds for our programmes.”

MAF president Datuk S. M. Muthu, however said they fine and working with the National Sports Council (NSC).

When asked about the substantial sanction fee from the cancelled Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2020, that was scheduled to take place on 13 and 14 June 2020, Muthu said there are in discussion.

In light of the uncertainties brought about by the Covid-19 global pandemic, Dirigo Events, had on April 7 announced the cancellation of the marathon.

Ends.

THE GOOD DOCTOR SURVIVES THE ILL WILL

https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2020/04/588629/dr-ramlan-injects-good-health-malaysian-sports

By Tony Mariadass

DR RAMLAN INJECTS GOOD HEALTH INTO MALAYSIAN SPORTS

IT is common knowledge that if a person wants to survive being involved in Malaysian sports, he or she has to play ‘sports politics’.
But not in the case of Datuk Dr Ramlan Abd Aziz, who rose through the ranks to become a leading authority in sports medicine and sports science technology, a no-nonsense officer in the anti-doping community of practitioners in Malaysia and a sports administrator, and all this in his 32 years of service.

Dr Ramlan, on turning 60 on April 21, retired.
Looking back his career was met with many challenges including deceit and disappointments, non-appreciation of his work and being bumped around.
But there were also the pleasing moments mostly at the grassroots of athletes, honest sports officials and loyal staff, all of whom shower him with accolades.
A down to earth person with no airs although he held some important portfolios, Dr Ramlan always had time and never failed to listen to anyone who approached him for any reason whatsoever.
Although a true blue medical man, administration was not his forte, although he tried his best and managed. Knowing his limitations in this area, Dr Ramlan readily brought in people who were experts to assist him, but sadly many undermined him and made him look bad.
That was Dr Ramlan – he trusted people explicitly and gave them space to work independently and listened to their advice - which was more often than not abused by these people.
But despite led down the wrong path by his trusted lieutenants, the good doctor never once had a bad thing to say about any of them. His nice-guy persona was used against him by many.
However, his medical skills did not go unnoticed and he stood out to be a recognised and respected figure regionally and internationally.
Dr Ramlan sits on various international and national committees like the Health and Safety Committee of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the Medical and Sports Science Committee of the Asian Paralympic Council (APC), the Therapeutic Use Exemption Sub-Committee of the FIH and the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
He was a member of the Health Ministry of Malaysia’s Specialisation Committee for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine that vets and approves applications for specialist recognition from appropriately qualified and gazetted doctors in Malaysia.
There were numerous occasions when attempts were made to discredit him or shuffle him around by many who were envious of him or had their own agenda, but never once did Dr Ramlan use his ‘connections or people in power’ whom he knew well (ministers included) and some were close relatives, to get even with his 'unseen enemies'.
Once asked why he did not want to use his ‘connections’, he simply replied: “I want to be recognised on merit and not try to stay in any position using my 'so called' connections.
“If people want my position, let them have it. I can still contribute in many ways to sports which is always close to my heart.”
That is the true Dr Ramlan. He is humble, honest and humility is his virtue.
His father may have been just a baber but the way his wife and himself brought up Ramlan, has everything to do with the kind of person he is today.
Dr Ramlan, the eldest in a family of five, many may not know, is an accomplished musician too and it runs in the family. He plays the guitar and drums. His brother is famous music composer Roslan Aziz.
 
Dr Ramlan, still has a band comprising his fellow students of MCKK (he is the oldest member in the band), who on rare occasions make appearances at The Malay College, Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) functions and jam nights.
 
In writing his profile at the end of his career, Dr Ramlan said: “It hit me at the end ... how much that I had done. Certainly it wasn’t all good or the best of me at all points ... but it just left me with a sense of - did I do all that ... and how did I find the time and energy to do those things.?"
The well-read and articulate doctor went on: “I don’t worry about being forgotten for my own sake, but at least for my family, whom I had neglected quite often at various points along the way ... just to get some sense that all missed, love and comfort, was not in vain.”
 
Dr Ramlan is married to Datin Dr Nasibah Mohamad Ali and the couple have five children - Zaira (Rehab and Wellness Clinic Manager, Sports Science graduate UM), Dr Madiha (English Literature PhD Adelaide, UIAM Lecturer), Dr Abdul Muiz (Ipoh Hospital), Fariha (lawyer) and Adeeba (Biochemistry UPM) and a granddaughter, Lily Sarah Fidzuan (23 months, born to Madiha)
Dr Ramlan was born in Kuala Lumpur and had his early education at SRJK (English) Jalan Padang Tembak and went on to join MCKK.
He started his medical career in 1988 as a young government officer.
After graduating from the National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 1987, he did his housemanship at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital (same hospital he was born), before a brief stint as Medical Officer at the same hospital’s Outpatient Department. On being transferred to the Kuantan General Hospital, he gathered invaluable experience for nearly a year in the Anesthesiology Department until 1990 when he left the Ministry of Health to join the National Sports Council of Malaysia (NSC) as a Sports Medical Officer on 10th May, 1990.
His long and illustrious career in sports medicine is underlined by his being at six Olympics with the Malaysian team - from Barcelona 1992 to London 2012 -  five of which he served as Chief Medical Officer.
Another highlight was his sixteen-year tenure as team doctor with Malaysia’s hockey teams, starting with the National Junior men’s team in 1991, which culminated in the Junior Men’s World Cup in Barcelona, Spain in 1993 where he worked with highly experienced Malaysian coach, C. Paramalingam.
He was soon leading a double life as the team doctor of the men's senior team as well, having had a brief stint at the Beijing Asian Games 1990. He resumed his involvement with the senior team for the Barcelona Olympics, initially working with Australian coach Terry Walsh and then a succession of renowned coaches such as Germans Volker Knapp and Paul Lissek, and finally with Malaysia's Stephen Van Huizen until February 2006.
He was appointed Director General of the NSC in July 2005 by then Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman.
As if all that was not enough, Dr Ramlan also found time to serve as team doctor for the national badminton squad, working with elite players such as Datuk Wira Lee Chong Wei and Wong Choong Hann among many others and with renowned coaches Datuk Misbun Sidek, Denmark's Morten Frost, Han Jian of China, South Korean Park Joo Bong and Indonesia's Rexy Mainaky. He was deeply involved in the medical care and high performance scientific service management for the badminton squad with regular stints at the Thomas Cup and other world badminton tournaments from 1996 to 2006.
He was also involved in the rise of several sports while leading ISN, working closely with world-class coaches John Beasley of Australia in track cycling, China's Yang Zhuliang in diving and other coaches in paralympic athletics, archery, karate-do and taekwondo. He never neglects the so-called smaller sports as he firmly believes in helping those who believe in sports science as a way of garnering meaningful and sustainable progress.
He led the Malaysian medical team to numerous regional games festivals like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the SEA (South-East Asian) Games which featured not only his medical service but also leading teams of fellow doctors, paramedics, physiotherapists and also sports scientists that included psychologists, dietitians, physical conditioning experts and video analysts.
The pinnacle of his career with the Malaysian Games Contingents came when he was given the honour of leading the delegation as Chef-de-Mission at the SEA (South-East Asian) Games in Laos 2009 and the Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China 2010.
His multi-disciplinary roles and responsibilities as a leader also saw him serve as Director of the National Sports Institute (NSI) from 1996 to 2005, Director General and later Chief Executive of the ISN from 2007 until 2016, advisor in Sports Science and Medicine to the Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin between 2012 and 2013 and as the Director of the Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (ADAMAS) at Sports Ministry for two years from 2017.
He had played a pivotal role in establishing ADAMAS in 2007 and led its progress among his other myriad of responsibilities, until 2015 when it became an independent organisation within the Sports Ministry structure.
He returned to ISN to resume his role as Senior Consultant Sports Physician in January, 2019, until his retirement.
Although now retired, Dr Ramlan has one more project on his hands – a book he is almost finishing on Malaysia’s Olympians which will be unveiled before the Tokyo Olympics.
Indeed, Dr Ramlan has had a colourful career which he served with much distinction and will be hard to be match by anyone.

SAVING MALAYSIAN FOOTBALL

https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2020/04/586106/how-save-malaysian-football

By Tony Mariadass

Thinking out of the box

There are several options the FA of Malaysia can adopt to save the M-league from being totally cancelled this season because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

The FA of Malaysia will be coming out with a statement this week for the way forward for the M-League which has been derailed by the pandemic.

While the cancellation of the M-League would be the last option, but it has been underlined that the health and safety of the players is more important than the game itself.

But with the Movement Control Order (MFO) expected to prolong but probably with lesser restrictions, one area which the Ministry of Health is strongly recommending is the ban on inter-state or boundary crossing.

If this rule comes into effect, it will virtually cripple the M-League which will not allow teams to travel for their matches.

The inter-state travel ban which is expected to be implemented for at least six months if started from May, will end in September.

So one option FAM or the Malaysian Football League (MFL), can consider is to seek for special permission from the authorities to bring all teams to a central location – say Kuala Lumpur – and place them in separate hotels with strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to the Covid 19 observed.

But before that all players, coaches, their staff and team officials, will have to undergo the Covid 19 tests and be cleared before they can travel.

Then they can be transported from one ‘Clean Area’ to another ‘Clean Area’ and constantly monitored from time to time. Adopt the present quarantine rules observed by Hotels which is used for quarantine passengers coming from overseas.

Organise a month long league to complete the M-League fixtures (but only one match instead of two – home and away format), to be played in empty stadiums and streamed live to the fans.

This way the players will still be employed and the fans still can get their dose of football.

Presently teams have played four games each which leaves 18 more matches if played home and away.

If the carnival format and centralising the teams does not get the approval of the authorities, then the best option is if cancel the M-League and concentrate of the Malaysia Cup.

The Malaysia Cup can be played on a knockout system in October and complete the FA Cup fixtures too.

Discuss with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and seek their approval to allow the FA and Malaysia Cup winners to qualify for AFC tournaments next year.

Under this format, May to August can be considered as off season.

The other option would be to resume the M-League in October and run into 2021 like the English Premier League which runs over two years.

Of course the off-season in May to August will raise questions with salaries of players and coaches, which needs to be discussed and resolved.

It is definitely better than the league being cancelled and players and coaches out jobs.

Food for thought. Over to you FAM and MFL.

Ends.

A 'NEW NORM PLAYING FIELD' FOR MALAYSIAN ATHLETES

By Tony Mariadass

 ‘New Norms’ to change the face of sports

https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2020/04/585823/new-norm-playing-field-malaysian-athletes

WHEN this 'war' against Covid 19 is won, although it may not be a total victory, the world as we know it will have little choice but to embrace ‘new norms’ and people must change their lifestyle completely.

   The anticipated devastation of this virus will be huge and felt in all corners of the world. Besides affecting the lifestyle of the world's population, it will also have huge impact on the different economies, businesses, employment, poverty and the list goes on.

   But sports and entertainment, nowadays a major part of our lifestyle, is one area which is going to be hit severely.

   Will there be huge crowds at sports or entertainment events like in the recent past?

   Here in Malaysia, the strong possibility that mass gatherings at events will not be allowed for at least another six months, is going to have a negative impact on sports.

   With all activities, sports or otherwise, suspended during the Covid 19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO) in place, all major sporting events came to a shuddering halt. When will things be back to normal? That's anybody's guess.

   When things are back to normal, the M-League, as an example, is definitely not going to be the same.

   Are matches going to be played to empty stadiums or maybe a restricted number of fans be allowed for each match as stadium capacities will be halved or even reduced to one-third?

   Is there going to be social distancing enforced at stadiums where fans (if allowed) must sit one metre away from each other and demarcations are made in the stadiums?

  Are there going to be new rules governing the use of sports equipment where it's compulsory for athletes to wear masks or even gloves?

  Also, no handshakes or hugging?

  No celebrations after scoring a goal or on wrapping a victory?

  In sports where a net separates the opposing players, like badminton and sepak takraw, contact between players will minimised.

  What about swimming? Is it safe to jump into the pool with numerous other swimmers in it?

  Sanitisers placed around the stadium?

  Sanitisers curtain is a must at all sporting venues? Stadiums must be sanitised before and after every match.

  What about sports in schools? Is physical education going to be a classroom session? No more field activities?

How is all this going to affect the health of the younger generation?

   All this is happening while we have been actively promoting a healthy lifestyle to the young and older generation which in turn helps keep of our health bills lower.

   What will happen to the numerous weekend fun-runs which have become a norm in Malaysia?

And what about fitness centres and sports gymnasiums? Will social distancing be rule? Will clients or sportsmen and women going to feel safe?

  In Australia where sports is a part of their culture, Aussies are still allowed to engage in physical exercise (either alone or in the company of no more than one other person).

  But Malaysians, regrettably, are not as disciplined as the Australians. Just look at the number of cars on the roads or the number of people at markets and supermarkets, despite the MCO being in place and if not heeded can result in a heavy fine, arrest and being charged in court.

  As more and more people clamour for flexibility during the MCO, they had better be prepared for life being totally different when the MCO is relaxed or lifted. They must get used to the ‘New Norms’ which could well last a few years.

Probably and sadly, sports will turn to E-sports as an alternative and gain further popularity, although it has been shunned by many as a ‘non sport’, which only turns people into ‘couch potatoes’.

  Sportsmen and women get ready for ‘Distancing Control Order’.