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RM50 Million Allocation Can Spur Athletes To Win First Olympic Gold - Ahmad Shabery

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- The RM50 million allocation by the government to prepare athletes for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil can inject new blood among athletes in their quest for the first ever Olympic gold medal said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Ahmad Shabery said the allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling the 2013 Budget today was beyond expectations and the biggest budget for a specific event.

"This is the biggest allocation for the 2016 Olympics and it goes to show how serious the Prime Minister feels about sports development in the country.

"He (Prime Minister) understands that sports is not just about winning medals but related to image, moral, unity of the people and an inspiration for youths to be involved in sports," he told reporters when met at Parliament here today.

For the 'Road to London' programme, the allocation was RM20 million but Malaysia managed only a silver and bronze medal through shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei (men's singles) and diver Pandelela Rinong (women's 10m platform).

He added that the RM80 million allocated for building a new velodrome in Seremban and a badminton academy in Bukit Kiara was due to the achievement of athletes at the London Olympics recently.

Najib had also allocated RM15 million to prepare athletes for major games, including the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar, Asean Para Games 2013 (Myanmar), 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland and 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Malaysia have yet to win an Olympic gold medal since first participating in the event since 1956.

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