For the love of sport

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IT WAS recently brought to the Eye’s attention that a team of young state athletes who were on an exposure competition were not provided with enough cash for meal expenses for the duration of their trip.The officials who were with them sent out an SOS to several related parties who then willingly advanced cash out of their pockets just to ensure that the kids would not go hungry in their quest to compete for the state.

It was later found out, yes, they were given some cash, but it was a rather meagre amount to be shared among the number of people who made up the team. Furthermore, the exposure competitions took place in several venues, and were spread over a duration of more than a week.

Many would agree that the authorities looking into youth and sports development in the country are getting it wrong. Instead of rewarding only those who bring back gold medals, those who pour in an equal amount of effort in their training should be well taken care of too. In fact, they should be somehow rewarded just for staying off drugs and off the streets. They should be made role models, regardless if they actually win medals or otherwise.

After all, it is downright ironic. The government spends tons of money each year on anti-drug campaigns. And right under their noses, they have kids who are willing to sacrifice their time and social lives to train day and night.

These are kids who stay off drugs and who do not loiter aimlessly around town, who are willing to pour their hearts, soul, tears and sweat into a strict regime of exercise. Yet, their physical and emotional needs are       not properly looked into. Yet, they are not aptly rewarded.

Like a friend put it: “Ingat nyaman kah training setengah mati kedak ya? Nyaman lagik sidaknya lepak jak sik polah apa-apa. Sidaknya agik sanggup setengah mati demi sukan tapi sik dijaga benar-benar.” Sad but true.

And, word is, the federal government has decided that the Malaysian Games or better known as Sukma will now be an annual event instead of biennially. Do we agree? Eye don’t know about you, but the way the Eye sees it, an annual Sukma is not the solution to sports development in the country.

There is a reason that major international games are held once every four years — to allow time for discovery and development. The rationale of Sukma is generally to find and develop new talents from among the states to represent the country at regional and global level.

To have sporting associations and coaches rush through approximately 10 months a year trying to scout for and train new talents is ridiculous. It is as good as saying that the nation expects to see instant-made athletes jumping out of 3-in1 mix packets, trying their luck at the annual games.

In addition to that, whoever came up with the bright idea of having Sukma annually did not think (as usual) of the burden it  would put on two sports powerhouse states — Sarawak and Sabah.

It is easy to call sporting teams within Peninsular Malaysia down to a competition in Bukit Jalil or anywhere between Johor and Perlis. They have the option of cheaper modes of transportation. They can go by road any time.

They often forget that contingents from Sarawak and Sabah have to spend a lot more to get to these venues. And, for sports that require equipment, it is not pleasant lugging around their gear — hockey, cycling, and even martial arts — these sports have kilograms of gear to carry around. Extra travelling time, extra expenses and extremely poor funding are some of the factors that Sarawak and Sabah have to deal with each time they travel for Sukma. And yet   the contingents from these two states perform very    well.

The federal government has built elite sports schools throughout Peninsular Malaysia, but none in Sarawak or Sabah. Yes, Sarawak may not have adopted the federal sports act but that doesn’t mean that the federal government should forget about this sports powerhouse.

Instead of splashing money each year on events management to run Sukma, why not divert the money for sports development in Sarawak and Sabah? And if the federal government is    not agreeable to having a sports development centre   in each of these two states, then why not start with one centre located centrally in either Bintulu or Miri that could cater to both Sarawak and Sabah?