Malaysian Sports - Today's back pages!

Confusion deepens over whereabouts of national sprinters who skipped doping test  THE scandal over three national athletes who have gone AWOL a fter missing a mandatory doping test is descending into a farce.   Despite the fact that they have been from the country since last Wednesday, the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) is refusing to come clean as to their exact whereabouts. MAAU deputy-president Karim Ibrahim, when contacted last night, would only confirm the three sprinters who had declined to take the test — Noor Imran Ab Hadi, Norjannah Hafiszah and Nurul Sarah Abd Kadir — left for Bulgaria last Wednesday night. He maintained it was a scheduled trip. This is is, however, in conflict with the stand of the Bulgarian Athletics Federation, whom yesterday denied knowledge of any Malaysian athletes in the country. A Bulgarian federation official told The Malay Mail yesterday they had, i...

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Bernama) -- The case of six national sprinters who went missing when asked to undergo dope tests before leaving for an overseas training stint, will be discussed at the Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union's (MAAU) council meeting, next week. MAAU president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said apart from the issue of missing sprinters, the council would also discuss a number of other internal problems faced by the Union. Shahidan who did not want to blame any of his officers for the debacle said he had detailed information regarding the missing sprinters and would leave it to the National Sports Council (NSC) to decide on the next course of action against the officials and sprinters. "Many people were pointing their fingers at MAAU head coach Harun Rasheed, claiming that he had gone missing after the incident but in actual fact, he was busy arranging the wedding of his son yesterday. "He will prepare a report and table it during the meet...

PERSATUAN Badminton Malaysia (BAM) tetap membida hak penganjuran Piala Sudirman 2013 dengan menyandarkan harapan kepada pemain sama yang melangkah ke suku akhir minggu lalu. Setiausaha Kehormat persatuan itu, Ng Chin Chai berkata pihaknya akan tetap membida hak penganjuran biarpun tidak memiliki pasukan yang kuat. “Kita belum menghantar kertas bidaan kerana prosedur bidaan belum dikeluarkan,” kata Chin Chai. BAM masih ada masa sebulan lagi untuk menghantar kertas bidaan kerana kertas bidaan perlu diserahkan kepada Persekutuan Badminton Dunia (BWF) selewat-lewatnya 30 Jun ini. Hasrat BAM untuk membida ada baiknya kerana negara belum pernah menganjurkan acara badminton berpasukan dunia itu sejak kali pertama diperkenal pada 1989. Namun menjadi persoalannya, apakah BAM sekali lagi menjadi penganjur berjaya sedangkan tiada barisan pemain yang mantap untuk mencabar kejuaraan. “Kita bukan hanya akan berusaha menjadi penganjur yang berjaya tetapi juga mahu melakar kej...

KETUA jurulatih olahraga negara, Harun Rasheed kini perlu berani tampil memberikan penjelasan bagi mengelakkan masalah antidoping membabitkan anak-anak didiknya bertambah rumit. Saranan itu disuarakan sendiri oleh Ketua Pengarah Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN), Datuk Zolkples Embong yang melihat tindakan itu bakal menjernihkan keadaan yang semakin kusut terutamanya ketika kebuntuan mengenai kedudukan tiga atlet di bawah jagaannya yang masih gagal dikesan. “Adalah sangat penting untuk beliau tampil ke depan dan menjelaskan perkara sebenar. Saya juga sebenarnya masih belum jelas terutamanya mengenai penglibatannya dalam perkara ini atau terdapat pihak lain yang turut memainkan peranan. “Beliau sudah lama menjadi jurulatih, sekiranya benar kenapa ia dilakukan sekarang dan tidak sebelum ini,” katanya. Harun kini menjadi tumpuan selepas salah seorang daripada enam atlet olahraga yang melarikan diri daripada menjalani ujian antidoping di Institut Sukan Negara (ISN) minggu lalu men...

KUALA LUMPUR: China have again showed that they are in their own league by nailing the Sudirman Cup for the eighth time. And Malaysia believe that a huge monetary boost of RM1.6mil into their development programme soon will help to bridge the gap in standard with China. For the future: Chin Chai wants to create a strong talent base.   Yesterday, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) secretary, Ng Chin Chai, announced of their big plans to restore their grassroots programme, which will see the states playing a bigger role in nurturing players. “It will not be too wrong to say that Malaysia are 10 years behind China. It will take years of effort, a strong base of talent and lots of money for us to catch up with them,” said Chin Chai. “But the good news is that grand plans are in the pipeline for us to strengthen our state programmes. This will ensure us to have steady flow of talent coming through to the national set-up. “The National Sports Council (NS...

KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Chong Wei’s wish to stay out of the Indonesia SEA Games has been granted. In fact, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have also decided not to send their top men’s pair, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, for the biennial Games scheduled for Nov 11-25. Yesterday, BAM secretary Ng Chin Chai echoed Chong Wei’s sentiments on giving the younger players a shot at proving themselves in the regional Games. “The BAM have made plans to expose a newer group of players for the Games. We will name the squad at least three months before the Games,” he said. “All the players under the Road to London programme – Chong Wei, Koo and Tan – will focus on their preparation for the Olympics.” With the BAM’s decision, a keen competition is expected to take place among the back-up shuttlers to prove their worth to earn selection for the SEA Games.

KUALA LUMPUR - Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) dan Kesatuan Olahraga Amatur Malaysia (KOAM) wajar menubuhkan jawatankuasa siasatan bersama bagi menyiasat isu berkaitan atlet olahraga yang melarikan diri ketika diarahkan untuk melakukan ujian doping, baru-baru ini. Cadangan tersebut disuarakan Setiausaha Kehormat Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), Datuk Sieh Kok Chi yang berpendapat masalah tersebut ditangani bersama kerana isu tersebut melibatkan disiplin atlet. Katanya, melanggar arahan untuk menjalankan ujian doping adalah satu kesalahan disiplin yang boleh menyebabkan individu terlibat berhadapan hukuman berat. "Selepas siasatan dijalankan, jawatankuasa siasatan tersebut berhak untuk mengenakan hukuman kepada mereka yang terlibat. "Kebiasaannya hukuman gantung daripada menyertai kejohanan akan dikenakan namun itu semua bergantung kepada keputusan hasil siasatan," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini, semalam. Setakat ini hanya tiga daripada enam ...

Pandelela Rinong (back) and Leong Mun Yee   PANDELELA Rinong and Leong Mun Yee etched their names into history books by becoming the first Malaysian divers to come out tops in a World Diving Grand Prix event on Sunday. Pandelela-Mun Yee achieved it by winning the women's 10-metre platform synchronised discipline in the German Open in Rostock. The pair were given some anxious moments before edging China's national back-up pairing of Si Yajie-Xing Yiying to secure the title with a 312.96 points total. The China pair's poor second dive relegated them to second with a 309.00 total. Germany's Nora Subschinski-Christin Steuer grabbed the bronze with 300.54 points. Pandelela-Mun Yee, who went in on a combined total difficulty of 13.4, led by a narrow margin after the China made their mistake in the second dive and the Malaysians never looked back after. It was Pandelela's second medal of the meet as she had claimed the silver in the individual platform ...

KUALA LUMPUR - Ura-ura mengenai Timbalan Presiden Persatuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (PKBM), Datuk Naim Mohamad akan bertanding jawatan Naib Presiden Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM) terjawab apabila beliau menyangkal khabar angin tersebut. Naim yang akan menjadi chef-de-mission Malaysia ke Sukan SEA Jakarta, November ini menolak ura-ura mengenai beliau akan bertanding dalam pemilihan MOM tatkala tempoh untuk menghantar senarai nama pencalonan masih dibuka dan akan berakhir Selasa depan. "Tidak ada pencalonan dan jika ada sekali pun saya tidak berminat untuk bertanding. Sebelum ini Setiausaha Kehormat MOM, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi ada menawarkan kepada saya berikutan kekosongan yang ditinggalkan Datuk A. Sani Karim, tetapi menolak pelawaan tersebut," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia , semalam. Sani menawarkan diri untuk bertanding jawatan Timbalan Presiden MOM selepas penyandangnya, Tan Sri Dr. M. Jegathesan mengesahkan tidak akan mempertahankan jawatan...

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Bernama) -- Nominations for all 12 posts to be contested during the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) election will close on June 7, said OCM honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi. "The closing date is June 7 and those interested in contesting for any posts should submit their nominations through their respective association by then," he told Bernama Monday. After the closing date on June 7, the list of candidates for the 2011-2013 term would be announced and 105 delegates from 35 OCM affiliates would cast their votes on June 18, he said. Among those who have confirmed their candidacy are incumbent vice president Datuk A. Sani Karim who will contest the post of Deputy President since Tan Sri Dr M.Jegathesan had announced that he would not be defending his post. OCM President Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar who has held the post since 1999 has also expressed his interest to defend the post while Kok Chi, the honorary secretary s...

KUALA LUMPUR - Keputusan hasil ujian doping ke atas tiga daripada enam atlet olahraga yang dilaporkan menghilang minggu lalu bakal di ketahui selewat-lewatnya dalam tempoh tiga hari lagi. Ketua Pengarah Institut Sukan Negara (ISN), Datuk Dr. Ramlan Abdul Aziz berkata, ketika ini ujian masih lagi dijalankan oleh Agensi Antidoping Malaysia (Adamas) yang bertanggungjawab menganalisis ujian doping bagi tiga atlet olahraga tersebut. Katanya, proses ujian hanya akan menjadi rumit sekiranya keputusan yang diperoleh oleh Adamas mendapati atlet tersebut positif mengambil bahan terlarang. "Mungkin keputusan tersebut akan diperolehi dalam dua tiga hari ini namun itu bergantung kepada hasil yang diperolehi. "Jika ujian tersebut positif mungkin akan mengambil masa yang agak lama lagi kerana pihak Adamas terpaksa melakukan sekali lagi ujian ke atas sampel kedua pula," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini, semalam. Tambah Dr. Ramlan, seandainya keputu...

PETALING JAYA: The top Malaysian diving pair of Pandelela Rinong-Leong Mun Yee almost did not take part in the German Open in Rostock due to the plume of volcanic ash spreading from Iceland. The team’s flight to the city in northern Germany last Tuesday arrived 30 minutes before the authorities closed the airport. And Pandelela-Mun Yee should be thanking their lucky stars that they got to compete in the Open and went on to carve out a historic achievement for Malaysia in diving last Sunday. Number one: Pandelela Rinong (foreground) and Leong Mun Yee are the first Malaysian divers to come out tops in the World Diving Grand Prix. The duo won gold in Germany.   Pandelela-Mun Yee won the women’s 10m platform synchronised event and they are the first Malaysian divers to come out tops in the World Diving Grand Prix. The duo held off the Chinese back-up pair of Si Yajie-Xing Yiying in the last two attempts to secure the gold on 312.96. Yajie-Yiying had made a mess o...

Pandelela Rinong dan Leong Mun Yee mengharumkan nama Malaysia di Grand Prix FINA, Jerman, kelmarin apabila meraih pingat emas dalam acara terjun 10 meter. KUALA LUMPUR - Gandingan Pandelela Rinong dan Leong Mun Yee melakar sejarah apabila merangkul pingat emas acara 10 meter platform berirama pada hari terakhir saingan Grand Prix Terjun FINA di Rostock, Jerman, kelmarin. Kejayaan manis itu membuktikan gandingan mereka kian serasi, sekali gus mencerahkan peluang Malaysia meraih pingat pertama menerusi sukan terjun pada Sukan Olimpik di London tahun depan. Sekalipun tanpa kehadiran tiga pasangan ranking teratas dunia, emas yang diraih tetap bermakna bagi kedua-dua mereka kerana masing-masing belum pernah mengecapinya di peringkat dunia, terutamanya Mun Yee yang sudah menjangkau penghujung karier. Lebih penting, ia hadir tepat pada masanya bagi menyuntik keyakinan mereka menjelang Kejohanan Dunia di Shanghai, China yang pastinya jauh lebih sukar daripada saing...

Diteman isteri, Rosmah teruja bersama ribuan penonton di Dataran Putrajaya SAMBIL mengenakan jersi pasukan kegemarannya, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan isteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor hadir menyaksikan perlawanan akhir Liga Juara-Juara Eropah antara Manchester United dan Barcelona bersama peminat bola sepak menerusi skrin gergasi di Dataran Putrajaya, awal pagi semalam. Lebih 10,000 peminat membanjiri dataran itu memberi tepukan gemuruh sebagai tanda penghormatan ketika menyambut ketibaan Najib, kira-kira setengah jam selepas perlawanan bermula, tiga minit sebelum Wayne Rooney menyamakan kedudukan 1-1. Perdana Menteri tampak bersemangat sepanjang perlawanan tetapi Barcelona yang lebih mendominasi permainan akhirnya menumpaskan Man U dengan 3-1, sekali gus membuktikan statusnya sebagai kelab terulung sepanjang zaman. Turut hadir menyaksikan perlawanan yang diadakan sempena program Himpunan Sejuta Belia 2011 itu ialah Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk...

K. Rajagobal Pemain skuad kebangsaan menjalani latihan pada hari pertama di FAM Kelana Jaya, semalam sebagai persiapan menentang Hong Kong, Jumaat ini. - UTUSAN/ZAINI HUSIN PETALING JAYA - Jurulatih negara, K. Rajagobal enggan menaruh harapan tinggi kepada penyerang utama negara, Safee Sali mahupun penjaring terbanyak Liga Super, Abdul Hadi Yahya untuk menyerlah pada perlawanan persahabatan menentang Hong Kong, Jumaat ini. Katanya, mereka tidak perlu didesak melakukan sesuatu yang berlebihan selagi keserasian dan kriteria pasukan yang mahu dilihatnya di kalangan 24 orang yang dipanggil dalam tempoh latihan lima hari, belum dicapai. "Saya tidak mahu menekan mereka dalam tempoh sesingkat ini. Kita hanya perlu ada kriteria dan keserasian tertentu bagi sebuah perlawanan persahabatan antarabangsa walaupun ia masih tidak mencukupi," katanya di Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, semalam. Safee yang mencipta nama dengan Pelita Jaya setelah menyerlah sebagai penjari...

KUALA LUMPUR: Injuries forced track cyclist Junaidi Nasir to give up his Olympic dream and go into retirement. But he has not severed ties with the sport. Junaidi, who was previously with the likes of Azizulhasni Awang and Josiah Ng in the national training base in Melbourne, has turned to coaching and is now committed to helping young talent realise their goals. The 27-year-old Junaidi came down with a back injury four months before he was supposed to go for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and had to undergo surgery. He braved the long road to recovery after surgery and was back on the saddle again. Then, Junaidi suffered a slipped disc while doing gym training last year and was subsequently ruled out of the Commonwealth Games and Asiad. “I was told that I had to go for another operation and that was when I knew that my days as a cyclist were over,” he said. “I have not gone for the second operation and I have a numb feeling on one part of my lower back and right leg. I ...

KUALA LUMPUR: World No 1 Lee Chong Wei has decided not to take part in the SEA Games to give the youngsters a chance to step up. He feels that the biennial Games in Indonesia in November will be a good platform for them to have a feel of playing in a team event. Chong Wei, who returned home on Saturday from Qingdao after accomplishing his job to win all his matches in the Sudirman Cup world mixed team championships, is quite concerned with Malaysia’s lack of depth in team events. And the 29-year-old is single-minded in doing his part to inspire the youngsters. “We did reasonably well in the Sudirman Cup. We even took South Korea to the distance before losing 2-3 in the quarter-finals. We put up a good fight,” said Chong Wei. “For some of the senior players, it might have been the last Sudirman Cup outing for them. We must find youngsters to take over. It is a different feeling playing in a team event compared to an individual event. “It is best that I step out of...

KUALA LUMPUR - Kejohanan Kapal Layar Piala Monsun sekali lagi dipilih memenangi Acara Keseluruhan Terbaik pada Anugerah The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT), semalam. Kemenangan kategori berprestij tersebut sebelum ini diraih pada tahun 2007 dan 2009. Selain itu, Piala Monsun turut memenangi kategori Operasi Media Terbaik dan Jawatankuasa Perlumbaan Terbaik untuk penganjurannya pada tahun lepas. Pengerusi Piala Monsun, Tan Sri Sabaruddin Chik berkata, beliau cukup berbangga dengan usaha keras penganjur mencari langkah yang inovatif hingga sekali lagi dipilih pemenang Acara Keseluruhan Terbaik. "Saya berterima kasih kepada WMRT dan pihak yang terlibat. Kami berjanji untuk terus memberikan yang terbaik bagi mengekalkan kedudukan ini. ''Kami juga berterima kasih kepada Kementerian Belia dan Sukan atas sokongan yang tidak ternilai," katanya dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan semalam. Sementara itu, Ketua Pegawai Perlumbaan Piala Monsun, David Tallis turut ...

PETALING JAYA - Tanpa acara bola sepak yang sentiasa digelar 'ibu segala pingat emas', Sukan SEA di Indonesia dari 11 hingga 25 November ini bakal hilang seri dan daya tarikannya apatah lagi buat Malaysia selaku juara bertahan. Ia disuarakan jurulatih negara, K. Rajagobal yang membawa skuad bawah 23 tahun mengakhiri kemarau emas 20 tahun di Laos 2009 berikutan kemungkinan terkini Persatuan Bola Sepak Indonesia (PSSI) digantung Persekutuan Bola Sepak Antarabangsa (FIFA). "Apabila tiada bola sepak, maka Sukan SEA akan hilang daya tarikan utama kerana bagi saya, inilah satu-satunya permainan yang diiktiraf paling cantik - baik dalam Sukan SEA, Sukan Asia mahupun Sukan Olimpik. "Saya yakin (pengguguran bola sepak daripada Sukan SEA Indonesia) tidak akan berlaku sebaliknya ia pasti dapat diteruskan," katanya pada sesi latihan skuad negara di Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, semalam. Minggu lalu, pemangku Setiausaha Agung PSSI, Joko Driyono mengakui persatuan...

KELANA JAYA, May 29 (Bernama) -- The friendly between the national squad and Hong Kong in the Special Administrative Territory on Friday will serve as the platform for naming the final lineup for the Malaysian team, said national chief coach K. Rajagobal. "I want to see how each player performs in preparing Malaysia's squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil," he told reporters here Sunday. He said this was the reason why he included nine new players in the lineup. Twenty-one players reported for a training camp here ahead of Friday's match except for Safee Sali, Baddrol Bakhtiar and Abdul Hadi Hamid who will be reporting in tomorrow. Of the trio yet to report in, Safee is currently playing for Pelita Jaya in Indonesia. Only 22 will be making the flight to Hong Kong. Among those in the reckoning are Nasril Nourdin, Syed Adney Syed Hussein,Nasriq Baharom, Hisyamudin Shaari, Helmi Remeli, Shahrom Kalam, Farisham Ismail, Ismail Faruqi Ashari, Abdul H...

PETALING JAYA, May 29 (Bernama) -- The Rest of the World (ROW) team once again showed their mettle by defeating a Malaysian selection 3-2 in the Canon Cup 2011 at the Sunway Mega Lanes in Bandar Sunway, here today. For their feat, the ROW team pocketed RM30,000 while the Malaysian team as runner-up took home RM15,000. The Canon Cup is a part of the Canon Malaysian International Open Bowling Championship. "We certainly could have done better and even wrested the Cup. There were some poor performances and it was an eye opener for them, especially competing against an international field. "Mistakes have been translated to a defeat. Besides, the Canon Cup competition is considered a friendly competition and is not so intense," said head coach, Holloway Cheah. The ROW team comprised Wang Zhi Young (China), Khalid Al Dubyyan (Kuwait), Lara Posadas (Philippines) and Kelly Kulick (United States) while Malaysia was represented by Muhammad Nur Aiman Muhammad ...

Najib speaking at a gathering of one million youths that was held yesterday in Putrajaya.   PUTRAJAYA, May 29 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, joined more than 10,000 football fans at the Putrajaya Square here in the wee hours of today to watch the live telecast of the UEFA Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United. Najib, a fan of the English club Manchester United, arrived at the square flanked by the Putrajaya Corporation complex and the Palace of Justice about 30 minutes after the game started at almost 3am wearing a Man U jersey bearing his name and the numeral 1, to the cheers of the crowd watching the match on a giant screen. Three minutes after the prime minister's arrival, Man U equalised 1-1 through striker Wayne Rooney. Pedro Rodriguez had sent the dominating Spanish side Barcelona 1-0 up in the 27th minute. The dazzling Lionel Messi and David Villa scored in the 54th a...

PUTRAJAYA, May 27 (Bernama) -- Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek has called on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to carry out a thorough investigation into the match fixing allegations involving the Negeri Sembilan team. Expressing shock over the matter, he said, stern action should be taken against those involved. "The public are just beginning to have faith in our football, and if this happens again, it will destroy their confidence," he told reporters after launching Y-Avenue in conjunction with the National Youth Day 2011, here Friday. Negeri Sembilan Football Association (PBNS) was reported to have lodge a police report Thursday following allegations that match fixing had been taking place in the team. Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan chief coach Mohd Azrai Khor Abdullah said the team's dismal performance at the moment was not due to corruption but injuries affecting it...

PETALING JAYA, May 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's national bowler, Zandra Aziela Ibrahim Hakimi blazed her way to the lead in the Women's Masters first block of the 34th Malaysian International Open held at the Sunway Mega Lanes, here Friday. The 25-year-old Zandra Aziela knocked down lines of 202, 245, 197, 176, 198, 190, 247 and 189 for a total of 1,644. Trailing her with just seven pins adrift was Shayna Ng of Singapore, while Hong Kong's Chan Shuk Han in third position with 1,626 pinfalls. Besides Zandra Aziela, six other Malaysian women bowlers -- Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi, Jacqueline Jenelee, Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi, Dayang Khairuniza Dhiyana Abang Jamalidon, Hee Kar Yen and Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman -- advanced for the second block Saturday. Awaiting them in the second block are Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani, Wendy Chai, Sin Li Jane, who topped the local pool in Master Qualifying session, and three top qualifiers in the international pool. I...

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- The three national sprinters who skipped anti-doping test on Monday are believed to be already in Bulgaria. National Sports Council director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong said their departure for Bulgaria on Thursday was two days earlier than scheduled. "They were supposed to leave tomorrow but I was told they are in Bulgaria. Who financed their trip to the country? They were among six sprinters asked to take anti-doping test before leaving for Bulgaria. On Thursday, three of them met Zolkples and claimed they did it on order from athletics head coach Harun Rasheed. Zolkples said if it is true that the three are in Bulgaria, they will be hauled up by NSC. He added Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim contacted him Friday to know what really happened. Shahidan told him that he only learnt about it via the media before MAAU officials contacted him. "He admitted not knowing about t...

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- National Sports Council director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong warned technical officials not to be biased in judging subjective sports at Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Games. "I don't want to see elements of bias, given the many subjective sports," he said when briefing Sportswriters Association Malaysia (SAM) Exco members at Bukit Jalil Thursday. Zolkples who is also 2011 Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Games Organising Committee chairman said it will monitor the situation during the event from June 2-12. "Should there be elements of bias and controversy, the sports may not be listed in future Malaysian games. Don't let athletes become the victims." He hopes that athletes taking part in measureable events could register national records at the 14th Malaysian Games. -- BERNAMA

PUTRAJAYA, May 26 (Bernama) -- All Malaysian athletes must take note of banned substances so as not to get into the doping trap, said Deputy Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim. "This is a reminder to athletes. There are no short cuts to achieving success," he said in commenting on the action of six athletes who avoided anti-doping tests on Tuesday. He told this to reporters after handing over the Jalur Gemilang (National Flag) to the national rugby team which will be competing in the Asian Five Nation (A5N) tournament next week in South Korea, at his office here Thursday. Razali said his ministry viewed the matter seriously because it cost a lot to nurture athletes, besides the image of the nation was at stake.

PUTRAJAYA,  (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to deliver important messages to the million youths expected to congregate at 5pm on May 28 for 2011 Youth Day celebrations in Putrajaya. Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the message would serve as an inspiration and guidance to youths who make up the biggest and most important group in the country. "Several important messages will be announced by the Prime Minister. I am also looking forward to it as he (Najib) usually delivers timely messages," he said. Ahmad Shabery was speaking to reporters after looking at final preparations for the Youth Day celebrations with the media and ministry officers, here Tuesday. He expressed his satisfaction with work being done for the event which will feature over 200 attractions including 80 competitions, 93 spiritual and knowledge-based activities while the remaining involves shows and performances. Abo...

Deputy sports minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim (right).   IT remains a dream for the moment but deputy sports minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim said Asean countries must be willing to be flexible if they are to be successful in hosting the World Cup. Razali said the fact that Qatar is hosting the 2022 World Cup could mean that Asean would have to wait longer than 2030 to host the world's biggest single-sport extravaganza. "We cannot be too fixated on 2030 for the moment as it is a fact that the World Cup is shifted between continents for every edition which means Asean may not get it in 2030," said Razali, after launching the first FBT sports outlet in the country at Kuala Lumpur's Pertama Complex yesterday, "At the moment, 2030 is available but we we need to be flexible on the date to stand a better chance of hosting the World Cup," added Razali, who had presented the preliminary working paper for the 2030 bid to the Asean Football Federation ...

Razali Ibrahim (kanan) bergurau dengan Datuk Malek Noor (tengah) dan Radha Krishnan selepas merasmikan kedai sukan jenama FBT di Kompleks Pertama, Kuala Lumpur, semalam. KUALA LUMPUR - Timbalan Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Razali Ibrahim akan cuba merujuk semula kepada Kabinet dan Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman sekiranya perlu cadangan negara-negara ASEAN untuk membida sebagai tuan rumah Piala Dunia 2030 dipinda ke tahun lain selepasnya. Beliau yang juga Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kabinet Mengenai Pembangunan Bola Sepak Negara berkata, ia bagi mengelakkan peluang ASEAN menjadi samar sekiranya kekal dengan bidaan 2030 memandangkan jiran Asia mereka, Qatar baru sahaja dipilih sebagai tuan rumah pusingan akhir kejohanan berprestij dunia itu pada 2022. "Piala Dunia 2030 mulanya diletak sebagai sasaran awal dan terhampir untuk dibida Asia tetapi selepas Qatar dipilih FIFA (Persekutuan Bola Sepak Antarabangsa) menjadi tuan rumah 2022, kita kena fikirkan...

ADAKAH negara bakal menghadapi masa depan gelap dalam sukan olahraga? Mungkin itulah persoalan yang bermain di benak pegawai sukan itu berdasarkan hanya tujuh rekod baru dicipta pada kejohanan Balapan dan Padang Majlis Sukan Sekolah-Sekolah Malaysia (MSSM) ke-53 yang berakhir di Ipoh, kelmarin. Lebih membimbangkan, tiada sebarang catatan baru dilakukan peserta kategori 18 tahun lelaki mahupun perempuan, sebaliknya semua rekod baru kejohanan dicipta peserta kategori 12 dan 15 tahun. Daripada tujuh rekod baru, hanya satu rekod dicipta peserta lelaki iaitu atlit Kedah, Ku Azmir Syazwan Ku Sharif dalam acara 400 meter. Faktor cuaca berikutan hujan saban petang mungkin dijadikan alasan berbanding 16 catatan rekod baru pada temasya di Johor Bahru, tahun lalu. Justeru Majlis Sukan Sekolah Sekolah Malaysia (MSSM) harus melakukan bedah siasat segera untuk mencari punca mengapa atlit 18 tahun yang dilihat sebagai pengganti kepada atlit negara ketika ini, gagal menyi...

IMBAS KEMBALI...Elaine bersama ganjaran Shakam bernilai RM180,000 yang turut ditagih Elena.    BERPATAH arang, berkerat rotan. Perumpamaan nyata buat ratu gimrama negara, Elaine Koon yang nekad bersara walaupun diberi peluang menukar jurulatih atau diberi laluan penyelesaian yang lebih wajar. Gimnas elit berusia 18 tahun itu kini sah meleburkan saja cita-citanya untuk terus menabur bakti kepada negara selepas menghantar surat rasmi kepada Persekutuan Gimnastik Malaysia (MGF), kelmarin. “Dia menggelar saya perempuan sundal dan pelacur, malah saya turut dipukul. Itu adalah herdikan dan maki hamun yang tidak mungkin saya lupakan hingga ke akhir hayat,” kata Elaine dengan nada kecewa terhadap sikap jurulatihnya, Elena Kholodova yang dianggapnya melampau. Namun, katanya, herdikan dan maki hamun itu mungkin boleh dimaafkan lagi tapi Elena melampaui batas apabila meminta berkongsi ganjaran keringat di Sukan Komanwel, Skim Hadiah Kemenangan Sukan Majlis Sukan Negar...

PETALING JAYA: After months of uncertainty, rhythmic gymnast Elaine Koon has finally decided to quit the sport. But the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary general, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, hoped that Elaine would reconsider her decision, at least after completing her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) this year. Kok Chi said that a short break could do her a world of good and she could return to fight for a place to represent Malaysia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Asian Games in Incheon. The 18-year-old Elaine was a star performer in the Malaysian contingent for the Delhi Commonwealth Games last October, bagging the first-ever individual rhythmic gymnastics’ gold medal for the country from the hoop competition. Final decision: Elaine Koon was the star performer in gymnastics for Malaysia at the Delhi Commonwealth Games last October.   She also claimed a silver and three bronze medals and her efforts earned her RM180,000 in cash reward from t...

KUALA LUMPUR: Doubles pairs Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu had the chance to win a Sudirman Cup world mixed team championship tie for Malaysia against Indonesia in Qingdao last night. But they fell short and Malaysia were beaten 2-3 to advance to the quarter-finals as the Group B runners-up to Indonesia. In a fresh draw conducted after all the groups ties were completed last night, Malaysia will take on South Korea today for a place in the semi-finals while Indonesia will be up against Japan tomorrow. Malaysia were 2-1 up against Indonesia and hopes were high on Eei Hui-Pei Tty to clinch the winning point in the women’s doubles match but they ran out of steam and went down 21-23, 14-21 to Greysia Polii-Meiliana Jauhari. Dejection: Malaysia’s Lydia Cheah reacting after losing to Indonesia’s Adrianti Firdasari in the Sudirman Cup Wednesday. Lydia lost 8-21, 12-21 in just 27 minutes. — CHOW HOW BAN / The Star   It was their fifth defeat in a...

MALAYSIA berdepan laluan sukar pada suku akhir kejohanan badminton Piala Sudirman apabila sekadar muncul naib juara Kumpulan 1B selepas tewas kepada Indonesia 3-2 dalam perlawanan kedua peringkat kumpulan di Qindao, China, malam tadi. Keputusan itu sekali gus menyaksikan Malaysia yang menewaskan Russia 4-1 pada perlawanan pertama, terpaksa melalui satu lagi undian di kalangan naib juara setiap kumpulan dan kemungkinan berdepan pasukan pilihan sama ada Korea Selatan atau juara bertahan China. Seperti dijangka, perseorangan dan beregu lelaki negara meraih kemenangan untuk Malaysia malam tadi, namun Indonesia bangkit menyamakan kedudukan apabila menguasai perseorangan dan beregu wanita, sebelum memastikan mata kemenangan dalam acara beregu campuran. Pasangan Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong yang menjadi wakil pertama negara turun ke gelanggang nyata tidak menghampakan apabila menewaskan pasangan Indonesia, Yulianto Alven-Mohammad Ahsan 21-15, 21-17 dalam masa 31 mini...

SELAIN bola sepak, dua lagi acara lumba basikal dan gimnastik mungkin berdepan nasib sama digugurkan daripada dipertandingkan dalam Sukan Sea Palembang, November ini. Ini berikutan Kesatuan Berbasikal Antarabangsa (UCI) tidak puas hati dengan acara lumba basikal yang dianjur tuan rumah manakala gimnastik pula berdepan masalah apabila persatuan gimnastik negara itu kini digantung Persekutuan Gimnastik Antarabangsa (FIG). Setiausaha Kehormat Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), Datuk Sieh Kok Chi berkata, berbanding gimnastik, kes lumba basikal tampak lebih rumit jika acara itu masih mahu dianjur pada Sukan Sea kali ini. “Sama ada gimnastik dan lumba basikal akan digugurkan belum diputuskan lagi tapi dua acara ini berdepan masalah untuk dianjurkan. Saya mendapat maklumat Persatuan Gimnastik Indonesia digantung atas sebab kelewatan pembayaran yuran namun perkara itu boleh diselesaikan segera tapi dalam hal lumba basikal kita tak tahu macam mana nak selesaikan. “UCI tidak berp...

ZOLKPLES (kiri) dan Dr Ramlan mengulas isu ‘antidoping’ atlit, semalam. Harap mereka beri sampel kerana MSM, ISN mahu bersungguh pulihkan imej sukan ENAM atlit olahraga kebangsaan mencetuskan kontroversi apabila gagal menjalani ujian 'antidoping' seperti diwajibkan sebelum dijadualkan berangkat menjalani latihan dan kejohanan di Bulgaria, 28 Mei hingga 3 Julai ini. Begitupun lima daripada mereka sudah pun menjalani pemeriksaan kesihatan kelmarin, namun gagal hadir apabila diberitahu diwajibkan menjalani ujian berkenaan sejurus selepas itu. Perkara berkenaan nyata menimbulkan banyak persoalan buat Ketua Pengarah Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN), Datuk Zolkples Embong dan Ketua Pengarah Institut Sukan Negara (ISN), Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz yang tertanya-tanya punca ‘kehilangan’ mereka daripada menjalani ujian berkenaan. “Di sini (kejadian kelmarin), mereka melakukan dua kesalahan iaitu gagal melapor untuk melakukan ujian antidoping dan kedua, gagal dihubun...

KUALA LUMPUR: Six national sprinters may land in hot water for failing to provide urine samples for tests at the National Sports Institute (NSI) on Tuesday. Five of them are members of the women’s relay team – Norjannah Hafiszah Jamaluddin, Nurul Sarah Abdul Kadir, Yee Yi Ling, Siti Zubaidah Adabi and Siti Fatimah Mohamed. The other is male sprinter Mohd Noor Imran. The six were supposed to leave for Bulgaria on Saturday for a one-month training and competition stint. The National Sports Council (NSC) director general, Datuk Zolkples Embong, said that the five women underwent medical tests but went missing when their urine samples were required for tests. He added that Mohd Noor did not show up at all. “All athletes for overseas stints have to undergo dope tests,” said Zolkples in a press conference, which was also attended by the NSI director, Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz. “Those who fail to undergo the tests will be barred from competing in local and overseas competition...