KUCHING: Sarawak has suffered many setbacks and heartaches in the preparation for Sukma XV as the rules and competition for several events are continually being changed.
Assistant Minister of Sports Datuk Lee Kim Shin said it was unfair for the organiser of Sukma and the National Sports Council (MSN) to keep changing the rules.
A very good example is the artistic gymnastics competition where the age limit has been raised from Under-21 years old to Under-23 years old while the age limit for rhythmic gymnastics was lowered from Under-21 to Under-15. This has caused the Sarawak contingent to lose certain medals in gymnastics.
“We are at a very big disadvantage because many of our athletes are not able to participate due to either being over age or under age,” Lee said after visiting the state Sukma rhythmic gymnastics team at Queen’s Court, Tabuan Jaya recently.
Lee added this was very unfair to the affected athletes because they had put in so much time, efforts and made sacrifices to prepare for Sukma XV.
“At the last Sukma XIII in Melaka in 2010, our artistic gymnasts could not compete because they were below 12 years old. This time around, they raised the age limit to Under-23, meaning the national gymnasts can compete with those from the development programmes,” revealed Lee.
Because of the change to the age limit for rhythmic gymnastics, five athletes aged between 16 and 18 will now be ineligible to compete.
“There must be a standard rule to follow in Sukma and I see no reason why they (organiser) should raise or lower the age limits,” added Lee.
The assistant minister also learnt that national athletes who were previously limited to compete in two events can now participate in all categories which are the ball, hoop, club and ribbon, team and individual all-events.
“We will make an appeal to MSN on this rule change through the Sarawak Gymnastic Association,” Lee said.
He had also personally made an on the spot call to MSN director Datuk Zolkples Embong but could not reached him.
However, Lee has directed MSN Sarawak deputy director Frederick Tan to follow up on the matter.
If the organiser sticks to the new ruling, Sarawak will only be able to send four athletes to compete in the rhythmic gymnastics competition.
They are 15-year-olds Lim Yi Jun and Dayang Batrisyia Abang Sazali, 13-year-olds Natalie Ngo Tze Yin and Joan Chong Chu Ying, and 12-year-old Nur Sabrinnah Kamaruddin as the reserve. The gymnasts are coached by Yong Lew Chiang and assisted by Afrita Ariany Nasril and Lina Chiam.
Sarawak finished fourth overall in Sukma XIII and have won medals through Wong Poh Kee, Shayleen Tay and Lydia Wong in gymnastics since taking part in Sukma in 1996.
Their target for the coming Sukma XV in Pahang is to win medals, irrespective of colour.