MINISTER STEPS IN: Khairy ensures Revington stays until the World League Semi-finals ends
SPORTS Minister Khairy Jamaluddin took less than 20 minutes to defuse a tense situation that has been festering for six months, and came out smiling with news that Paul Revington had agreed to stay on as coach until the World League Semi-finals in Johor Baru.The World Cup Qualifier will be held from June 29-July 7, with the top-three teams assured of a spot in the Netherlands next year.
However, Revington threw in his resignation on Saturday, stating that "outside interference," and a threatening email had made his stay in Malaysia uncomfortable for the past six months.
Revington, after about a year into the job, received the email from 1Mas project director Lim Chiow Chuan on March 23, while he claimed that Juniors coach K. Dharmaraj have been interfering in his job scope.
Dharmaraj and Chiow Chuan have been proposed to be removed by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) coaching committee and their fate will be decided when the management committee meets on June 30 in Johor Baru.
Revington came out of the meeting at the Sports Ministry in Putra Jaya with a "no comment" wave, and walked away.
But the hands-on minister did not disappoint: "Revington gave his views in brief, and after I promised him that I will personally look into the grievances (which has been swept under the carpet for six months), he agreed to stay on until the World League is over," said Khairy.
And with the short-term goal achieved, Khairy will work for the long term benefit of the sport.
"It was a relief when Revington agreed, because it would have been difficult to arrange for a calibre coach on such short notice.
"But with the short-term goal accomplished, I want to meet with MHC president Tengku Abdullah (Sultan Ahmad Shah) and see how we can work out a plan to keep Revington with us for the long term as well," said Khairy.
Revington, under the National Sports Council payroll, had brought up the issues which were bothering him, to many quarters, but no concrete solutions were found, and finally the South African just gave up and was ready to go home.
