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Issue Of Missing Sprinters To Be Discussed At MAAU Council Meeting - Shahidan

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 meeting next week," he told Bernama here Monday.

Last Monday, six national sprinters, five females and a male athlete, who were required to undergo dope tests before leaving for an overseas training stint in Bulgaria were reported missing.

According to NSC director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong, his officers could not contact the sprinters or Harun.

The six sprinters who snubbed the dope test conducted by the National Sports Institute (ISN) were Mohd Noor Imran Ab Hadi, Siti Zubaidah Adabi, Yee Li Leng, Norjannah Hafiszah, Siti Fatima Mohamed and Nurul Sarah Abd Kadir.

However, three of them - Siti Fatima, Siti Zubaidah and Li Leng - met Zolkples on Wednesday to explain the circumstances which forced them to "run away".

The six were part of athletes identified to undergo training in Bulgaria and take part in competitions held in Europe.

Shahidan said those involved must face the music but it would certainly a big loss to the country and the MAAU, since they are gold medal prospects in the 2011 SEA Games hosted by Indonesia in November.

-- BERNAMA

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