OLYMPIC Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar has stressed that national sports associations (NSA) need to ramp up their efforts at the grassroots and junior development level if government funding for sports is to be utilised to its full potential.
 |
| SportExcel chairman Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar (back row, fifth from left) with fund recipients at the SportExcel presentation ceremony yesterday. Pic by Owee Ah Chun |
Tunku Imran said the generous budget for sports recently unveiled by the government showed its serious approach to promoting sports in the country, however, he believed all the efforts would be hampered due to a lack of new quality talent for further development.
"We are not doing enough in terms of talent development to complement the huge training and capital expenditure contributed by the government," said Tunku Imran at the SportExcel individual funding presentation ceremony at Bukit Kiara yesterday.
"The lack of comprehensive strategic development blueprints on the part of many of our NSAs, including those which are Olympic sports, make it harder to find talent with the caliber to shine on the international stage.
"I have long stressed that we are running out of quality talent in a number of sports with squash being one such example."
Tunku Imran, who is also SportExcel chairman, added that he hoped NSAs would be more aggressive in promoting sports at school and community level to overcome the problem.
"Strategic development by working closely with schools and also the ministry is a good way to boost sports at the grassroots.
"With the one student, one sport initiative (by Education Ministry) in place, sport has now been given more priority in schools.
"I hope that NSAs will go into schools more and look to use the facilities available there to determine and groom new talent for the future."
A total 47 junior athletes from nine sports received grants from SportExcel totalling RM66,500 yesterday. The funds are intended to supplement the athletes' accommodation, travel, equipment, sports science support and coaching expenses.
Each athlete was nominated by his/her respective NSA based on his/her performances in 2011 with the final selection being made by SportExcel.
The nine sports are cricket, cycling, golf, tennis, tenpin bowling, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, shooting, squash and swimming.
No comments:
Post a Comment