UniKL start their Sports School battles

Pic: UniKL v Anderson, a top-net attempt goes bouncing in..

EARLY leaders UniKL will start their battle against four sports schools in Division One of the MHF-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League from today.
The newcomers, who have played four matches and collected a maximum of 12 points, will start with Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors this weekend, and then Bukit Jalil Sports School next weekend, Bandar Penawar Sports School- Thunderbolt after that and end their schools battle against Bandar Penawar Sports School Juniors.
However, the standings are not expected to change after this weekend, as the three early contenders have relatively easy matches.
UniKL should have an easy time against BJSS Juniors, while joint-second Thunderbolt and BJSS also have easy matches against Anderson and Petaling Jaya City Council respectively.
BPSS-Thunderbolt coach wan Roslan Wan Rahman said yesterday that even though Anderson lost their last two matches, they will not be easy.
“Anderson are still a dangerous team and we will not take any chances against them. For us the three points are very important to stay in the title race.
“So we will have to play hard and ensure we convert the chances that come our way,” he said.
The Bandar Penawar team has an impressive scoring rate with 17 goals in three matches. They are second only to UniKL who have scored 22 goals in four matches.
BJSS coach S. Prakash lamented on his team’s poor scoring rate: “We are missing too many chances and our play has not been that good either. Against Anderson we made it difficult for ourselves.
:We need to improve fast and score more goals against weaker opponents, as we have only scored seven so far,” he said.
Anderson faces another tough weekend as they chase to remain in the top five in the standings.
Besides the BPSS-Thunderbolt team they will also travel to Kuala Terengganu to play against Kelantan.
The top five teams from Division One and top three from Division Two qualify for the knockout stage.
FRIDAY: Division One -- Bukit Jalil Sports School v Petaling Jaya City Council (Tun Razak, 7pm), BPSS-Thunderbolt v Anderson (Bandar Penawar, 5pm), Kelantan v Bukit Jalil Sports School (Terengganu, 5pm).
Division Two: Tunku Besar Secondary School v Pahang (Tampin, 5pm), Kuala Selangor v Johor (Pandamaran, 5pm), Matri v Datuk Taha (Alor Star, 5pm).
SUNDAY: Division One -- Petaling Jaya City Council v Bandar Penawar Juniors (Tun Razak, 8pm), Kelantan v Anderson (Terengganu, 5pm), UniKL v Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors (KLHA Stadium, 5pm).
Division Two: Matri v Sabah (Alor Star, 5pm), Kuala Selangor v Ipoh City Council (Pandamaran, 5pm), Johor v Pahang (Johor Baru, 5pm).

DIVISION ONE

P W D L F A Pt
UNIKL 4 4 0 0 22 5 12
BP T’BOLT 3 3 0 0 17 3 9
BJSS 3 3 0 0 7 1 9
ANDERSON 5 3 0 2 11 12 9
BPSS JUNIORS 3 1 0 2 4 8 3
BJSS JUNIORS 3 0 1 2 2 7 1
KELANTAN 3 0 1 2 3 16 1
MWHA 3 0 0 3 4 9 0
PJCC 3 0 0 3 3 12 0


DIVISION TWO

P W D L F A Pt
TBSS 3 2 1 0 12 3 7
IPOH CC 3 2 1 0 7 2 7
SABAH 2 2 0 0 16 0 6
PAHANG 1 1 0 0 2 1 3
PG FREES 2 0 2 0 4 4 2
JOHOR 2 0 1 1 3 6 1
DATUK TAHA 3 0 1 2 2 11 1
MATRI 2 0 0 2 1 4 0
K. SELANGOR 2 0 0 2 0 16 0

MWHA: Selfish Australia

By Ajitpal Singh

THE Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association (MWHA) is unhappy with Australian for their unwillingness in agreeing to the rescheduling of the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Santiago, Chile.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) had wanted to reschedule the qualifiers from April 24-May 2 to another date as some participating teams, who are arriving late, re quested for it.
This is because flights in Europe were grounded until Tuesday by the volcanic ash from Iceland.
However, the Australian team, who arrived in Santiago last weekend, are unwilling to compromise.
According to Australia, their players will not be insured if FIH decides on rescheduling the qualifiers.
Ireland will arrive on April 27 while Scotland have yet to confirm their flight.
MWHA secretary S.Shamala said Australia’s claim about not being covered by insurance is illogical.
“It is an unacceptable reason by Australia. However, FIH has now agreed not to reschedule the tournament. The fixtures will now be tight as the three rest days, in the initial schedule, will be taken up for matches,” said Shamala.
“FIH, in a statement, stated that the fixtures will be changed in accordance to the arrival of teams. It has never happened before in the history of hockey. This all because of one team (Australia).
The Malaysian team, coached by Yahya Atan, were sup posed to leave last weekend using transit flight via Frankfurt to Chile but flights in Europe were grounded by the volcanic ash.
The team will now transit through Auckland to Chile on Saturday.
“We will arrive in Santiago on Sunday and we have requested to FIH for two days of rest before we start our campaign.
“If it is approved, we will likely face either the hosts or Australia on Tuesday. FIH has confirmed that Australia will face Chile in their opening match on Saturday,” she added.
Malaysia were supposed to face Chile on the tournament’s opening day.
Shamala added the qualifiers could be a four team affair if Scotland decides to withdraw.

Sapura's hand bitten by selfish player

HAPPIER DAYS: ... Sapura team manager Abdullah Yunus (second from left) in a tug-a-war with Tenaga Nasional team manager before the TNB-Cup Final. Sapura took TNB to the penalties before bowing out.

COMMENT
By Jugjet Singh

SAPURA are among the best managed hockey clubs in the country, but unfortunately they have been dragged into a doping controversy because one bad hat tested positive for party drug when a random doping test was conducted.
The club, which finished second in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) TNB Cup final, has done much to develop the sport and give a lifeline to retired as well as budding internationals to compete in the MHL.
The culprit in question is neither a national nor a former national, but just a club player. However, he has not only brought a bad light on his sponsors, but also Malaysian hockey.
Sapura team manager Abdullah Yunus said after the A sample tested positive for a party drug, the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) and the club could not contact the player to come forward to test his B sample.
And finally, the player returned Abdullah’s call yesterday after a report on the matter was published by TimeSport. And after an in-house investigation, Sapura decided to terminate his contract before the B sample is tested and will let the MHF handle matters from here.
Abdullah sounded apologetic when explaining the sit uation, but there was not need to be embarrassed because the club is not the guilty party here, as they signed the player based on his performance and had no control over his personal lifestyle.
Needless to say, Malaysian hockey has received many hard-knocks off the field with allegations of players in heavy debt to illegal moneylenders, match-fixing, gambling and now party drugs have crept into the picture.
The latest allegation is that some players from a particular team in the ongoing Junior Hockey League (JHL) are are also abusing party drugs as they feel it makes them much more alert and stronger when playing.
That is a load of rubbish, but being 19-year-olds, they can be excused for rationalising like teenagers, but need to be identified fast and their habit nipped in the bud before they turn into full-fledged addicts.
The MHF medical committee chairman Datuk Dr S.S. Cheema had said that random testing will be conducted in the JHL soon, and these group of players, if indeed they are involved in abusing drugs, are living on borrowed time.
Another matter that is fast turning out to be a fiasco is the Women’s World Cup Qualifier which was supposed to be held in Chile on April 24-May 5.
Australia flew in safely into Chile but Scotland, Ireland and Malaysian players have been stranded because of cancelled flights.
The Malaysian Women’s Hockey Federation are in contact with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on the matter and the natural disaster is fast turning disastrously hi larious.
Australia is of the opinion that since there might be a delay in the other teams arriving in Chile, they should be allowed to play a series against the hosts to decide which team plays in the World Cup.
And the Aussies also suggested, in an e-mail to FIH, that another qualifier be held among the stranded teams where a second ticket to the World Cup will be on offer.
And if the FIH can’t accommodate the request, the Aussies feel the tournament should be played on a round-robbin basis with the top team playing in Argentina.
The tournament was in the picture when Chile was hit by an earth-quake but the venue stadium stood still and the FIH adamantly decided not to shift the venue. And now ash from Iceland has grounded flights, leaving the FIH with a messy situation.
What next? All five teams automatically qualify for the World Cup?

JHL turns corner with three sprinters

JOURNALIST CAUGHT WORKING: Aftar Singh from the Star (left), Jugjet Singh from the New Straits Times and UniKL coach I. Vickneswaran at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium after UniKL beat Anderson 6-1 in the Junior Hockey League. Photo from UniKL Facebook.

THE MHF-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League Division One title race is fast turning into a three-horse affair, and very little separates the early sprinters at this early stage.
Debutantes UniKL have been impressive but hot on their heels are Bandar Penawar Sports School-Thunderbolt and double champions Bukit Jalil Sports School.
UniKL beat Anderson and Petaling Jaya City Council by six goals each but there were moments of madness in the team which should be of concern to their coach I. Vikneswaran.
“Winning matches is one thing, but consistency is required to win the title in a close tournament like this,” said Vikneswaran.
The missing link for the new-comers is a bungling strike- force as they should have won by double digit margins instead of scoring only six.
“Against the two sports schools, chances will be few in between, so I will have to polish the strikers finishing before the weekend.”
Among the three, Thunderbolt looks like the team to beat in Division One this year.
Powered by national player, Faisal Saari, Thunderbolt are keeping pace with UniKL by winning all three matches convincingly.
The Thunderbolts have scored a total of 17 goals and conceded only three, and will increase their tally when they square off against Anderson on Friday.
FRIDAY: Division One -- Bukit Jalil Sports School v Petaling Jaya City Council (Tun Razak, 7pm), BPSS-Thunderbolt v Anderson (Bandar Penawar, 5pm), Kelantan v Bukit Jalil Sports School (Terengganu, 5pm).
Division Two: Tunku Besar Secondary School v Pahang (Tampin, 5pm), Kuala Selangor v Johor (Pandamaran, 5pm), Matri v Datuk Taha (Alor Star, 5pm).
SUNDAY: Division One -- Petaling Jaya City Council v Bandar Penawar Juniors (Tun Razak, 8pm), Kelantan v Anderson (Terengganu, 5pm), UniKL v Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors (KLHA Stadium, 5pm).
Division Two: Matri v Sabah (Alor Star, 5pm), Kuala Selangor v Ipoh City Council (Pandamaran, 5pm), Johor v Pahang (Johor Baru, 5pm).

Sapura player tests positve for party drug

A SAPURA Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) player tested positive for party drug after he was snared in a random doping dragnet conducted by the National Sports Institute.
The player’s A sample returned positive, and he has been sent a letter to show up so that his B sample can be tested in his presence, but he has yet to turn up.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) Medical Committee chairman Datuk Dr S.S. Cheema did not confirm or deny the allegation.
“Yes, there was random testing done during the MHL but I can’t comment on the matter because there are many technicalities involved, and one needs to be sure (test B sample) before any further announcements can be made on the matter,” said Dr Cheema.
However, when some Sapura players were approached on the matter, they at first denied, but then concurred with the allegation.
“It is an open secret among Sapura players that one of our members tested positive for party drug in his A sample, but the issue has been hushed up because the B sample has yet to be tested,” said one player who declined to be named.
However it was learnt that if the player does not respond to the letter and refuses to show up to test his second sample, he will be found guilty.
“Rest assured that any player found guilty of violating doping standards will be dealt with severely. The MHF have been conducting random testing during most of our tour naments and will continue doing so to weed out abusers,” said Dr Cheema.
There are also allegations that players from a certain team in the ongoing under-19 Junior Hockey League (JHL) are also abusing party drugs.
“We have plans to conduct random tests on JHL players, and if any official or player has concrete evidence on the matter, please approach the MHF and we will test the said player(s) and clear the air,” said Cheema.