KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports ministry will focus on a long term training programme to prepare athletes to win the country’s first ever gold medal in the Olympics.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said though the ministry’s immediate focus would be on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, there would also be a continuous programme for the 2020 Olympics.
“Discussions with various relevant parties is aimed at focusing for the 2016 Olympics and the subsequent Olympics.
“This is to ensure a continuous programme to develop and prepare athletes for the task,” he said when answering Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) at the Dewan Rakyat here yesterday.
Shamsul had wanted to know the achievements and weaknesses identified at the 2012 London Olympics and the ministry’s future plans.
“We need to focus from now to identify potential athletes and enable them to qualify for the Olympics on merit,” he said.
He said from the RM25 million allocated for the London Olympics preparations, RM16 million was spent because some sports did not qualify for the Olympics.
“The amount spent was not a waste of funds or high when compared with countries like Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and Thailand.
“Great Britain for example spent £4 million (RM20 million) for the diving team alone but only won a bronze medal from the men’s 10m Platform,” he said.
Ahmad Shabery also denied claims that there was less focus on paralympic athletes because Malaysia’s incentive scheme for paralympic athletes was among the best and far better than Australia and United States.
“In the past, paralympic athletes did not have a permanent place of their own and trained at the National Sports Institute (ISN) but now they will have their own training complex in Kampung Pandang.
“The Kampung Pandan training centre refurbished at a cost of RM50 million is 90 percent ready. Athletes are also given training allowances just like normal athletes,” he said. — Bernama