Are Zolkples and Dr Ramlan more important than say, Istiaq Mobarak, who qualified for the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles at the Munich Olympics of 1972? Can their contributions be matched with those of Datuk R. Yogeswaran who played in the Olympics of 1964 and 1968 and then managed the team to Sydney in 2000? What about Ghani Minhat, the "Raja Bola Sepak"? What about the famed doubles pair of Tan Yee Khan and Ng Boon Bee? What about M. Rajamani and double international Nashatar Singh? And what about Datuk M. Chandran who captained the Malaysian football team to their first Olympics in 1972?
What is the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur doing with the torch? After all, it is because of the policies of the City Hall that we have only one playing field left. How has he or City Hall supported sports? Both have been destructive in nature, allowing unplanned development and ignoring the need for sports and recreational facilities.
Everyone will laud the honour given to some of our para-Olympians, but it is painful to note how our former sportsmen have been dumped to make way for "corporate dudes", civil servants and even suppliers of apparels (for which they are paid) who are hijacking the achievements of those who sacrificed blood, sweat and tears for the country?
Granted that some sponsors and participating organisations which were given slots may not have known whom to accord the runners’ slots to. Which is why it is incumbent upon the OCM to have provided a shortlist of ex-athletes who would be deserving of the honour instead of some official or corporate individuals who are there by virtue of their position and the almighty ringgit.
The least the organisers’ should have done – and this is where the OCM must take the blame – is to invite our former Olympians to witness the event, providing them with VIP seating. Instead, some former Olympians who were there on their own accord were pushed back along with the rest of the crowd by the security officials.
The OCM has a wing called the ex-Olympians Association of Malaysia. What role it plays is anyone’s guess, but this torch run gave it an excellent opportunity to play a useful role. It failed miserably.
Someone once remarked that when a Malaysian sportsman wins, he does not run to hug his coach, instead officials and politicians will run to hug the player. Will anything change? And will someone tell us the criteria used in the selection or it was case of I, you and me? The Sun
What is the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur doing with the torch? After all, it is because of the policies of the City Hall that we have only one playing field left. How has he or City Hall supported sports? Both have been destructive in nature, allowing unplanned development and ignoring the need for sports and recreational facilities.
Everyone will laud the honour given to some of our para-Olympians, but it is painful to note how our former sportsmen have been dumped to make way for "corporate dudes", civil servants and even suppliers of apparels (for which they are paid) who are hijacking the achievements of those who sacrificed blood, sweat and tears for the country?
Granted that some sponsors and participating organisations which were given slots may not have known whom to accord the runners’ slots to. Which is why it is incumbent upon the OCM to have provided a shortlist of ex-athletes who would be deserving of the honour instead of some official or corporate individuals who are there by virtue of their position and the almighty ringgit.
The least the organisers’ should have done – and this is where the OCM must take the blame – is to invite our former Olympians to witness the event, providing them with VIP seating. Instead, some former Olympians who were there on their own accord were pushed back along with the rest of the crowd by the security officials.
The OCM has a wing called the ex-Olympians Association of Malaysia. What role it plays is anyone’s guess, but this torch run gave it an excellent opportunity to play a useful role. It failed miserably.
Someone once remarked that when a Malaysian sportsman wins, he does not run to hug his coach, instead officials and politicians will run to hug the player. Will anything change? And will someone tell us the criteria used in the selection or it was case of I, you and me? The Sun
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