OCM ready to slam the door on soccer and rugby

17/07/2002

THE Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) has set such high standards for team
sports in the Asian Games that it looks like soccer and rugby will not be
going to Busan after all.
OCM president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar, after chairing the
council Meeting at Wisma OCM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said soccer,
rugby, women's basketball, men's hockey and kabbadi have been informed
about the selection process and that there should not be any controversy
if they are not selected.
"We have informed the team sports that they must prove themselves before
they are considered for the Asian Games. So if they are not selected,
there should be no hue and cry," said Tunku Imran.
When asked what will be the yardstick for soccer and rugby to make the
cut, OCM secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi set sky-high standards.
"For rugby to qualify for the Asian Games, they must beat Fiji in the
Commonwealth Games," said Sieh.
Since there are no international assignments to gauge the soccer team,
Sieh said: "They are playing a friendly against Singapore, and they can
qualify if they win by a 6-0 margin." The match was played in Kuantan
yesterday. Imran concurred his secretary's standards.
"The fact that soccer is the Sea Games silver medallists means nothing.
If they had won gold like men's hockey and women's basketball, then they
could have been considered," said Tunku Imran. "Right now, the two sports
must prove themselves. The fact that the Asian Games draw has been made
with the said sports named in the pools means nothing."
Tunku Imran also took to task associations who wait for OCM funding to
go overseas and not take the initiative to organise their own tournaments
for the benefit of their athletes.
"Some of the sports associations wait for four years to compete in games
of higher standard. That is why their athletes never improve beyond Sea
Games level. We must change this mindset and groom athletes who are
capable of becoming world-beaters like squash, hockey and bowling. These
are a handful of associations that consistently send their athletes for
high standard competitions and are also always ready to organise
international events in Malaysia," added Imran.
(END)