Objection to Sukma age limit proposal

0

KUCHING: Francis Nyurang Ding, director of the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) has given assurance that the council will object the proposal to bring down the age limit of the Sukma games to under 19 years old.

After the changes to make the Sukma games an annual event, lowering the age limit according to him will have an impact to the state’s medal tally.

“If they lower the age limit, five of our athletes who have bagged the medals in the previous Sukma will not be entering the games,” said Francis of the four boys and one girl without disclosing which sporting events that they are from.

He also added that the Sukma supreme council would meet on January 10 where these are the hotly debated issues expected to be brought up.

“If during the meeting that they (supreme council) will propose to lower the age limit, we will object to the proposal,” said Francis adding further that if no such issues are raised, the state’s council will remain silent on the matter.

On the preparation of the athletes for the 2011 Sukma in Bukit Jalil, Francis said that the athletes are currently doing their decentralised trainings and preparations are on course.

“Maybe there is a bit of a disarray in the preparations for a few associations as it was unexpected to make the Sukma games an annual event. But we have to get used to it now,” said Francis.

He also said that other states are also facing the same problem, especially with regards to their financial terms.

“Even Sabah is earmarked to send only five to six sports contingents into the games,” he said.

The 19 compulsory events for Sukma 2011 includes aquatics (swimming and diving), badminton, football, gymnastics, hockey (men and women), athletics, cycling, karate-do, lawn bowls, archery, shooting, pencak silat, sepak takraw, taekwondo, squash, sailing, tenpin bowling, weightlifting and wushu.

Optional events includes baseball, netball, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, equestrian, ping-pong, tennis, petanque, golf, judo, kabbadi, canoe, cricket, fencing, boxing, rowing, rugby, silambam, snooker and billiard, softball, handball, woodball, synchronised swimming and water polo.