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LAWN BOWLS: Turbulent time for docile sport

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THE docile world of lawn bowls was rocked by allegations of indiscipline and match-fixing recently which will be high on the agenda of the Malaysian Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) annual general meeting (AGM) today.

MLBF meetings are usually placid affairs but this year's AGM to be chaired by president Tun Ahmad Sarji Hamid (pic) at the Bayuemas Oval in Klang is expected to be a torrid affair.

The suspensions of a trio of national lawn bowlers -- Siti Zalina Ahmad, Nor Hashimah Ismail and Maisarah Aminluddin -- are expected to be discussed as is Siti Zalina's match-fixing allegations.

The trio were issued suspensions ranging from six to 18 months by the MLBF disciplinary committee earlier this month for an incident during a training session last October when two of the lawn bowlers were alleged to have started a fight.

MLBF secretary Ramble Dallan Rice Oxley declined to comment on the matter except to say that the AGM will discuss all issues currently facing the sport.
"I cannot comment further on the matter. The AGM is to be held on Monday (today) and maybe something will be announced then," he said on Saturday.

Ramble did, however, refute allegations of match-fixing in the sport as he sought to clarify remarks made to Timesport last week.

He was quoted as saying then that the practice of letting other bowlers win matches during a championship is a normal tactical approach in lawn bowls.

"I believe I was misquoted on the issue. What I had meant to say was that while the practice may be going on in other sport, it does not happen in lawn bowls," he said.

The matter is also believed to have attracted the interest of World Bowls, the sport's international governing body, which is keen to find out more on the affair from MLBF.

Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who met Siti Zalina and Nor Hashimah last week, is also taking a serious view of the allegations made by the lawn bowlers. -- DEVINDER SINGH

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