Training for Podium Programme, national junior athletes to begin July 5

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 -- All athletes under the Podium Programme and the national junior development programme have been allowed to commence training in stages beginning July 5.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) in a statement today said Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican had agreed to MSN’s proposal to resume full-time training for all athletes under the programmes, subject to the SOPs set by the National Security Council (MKN) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Previously, only 57 elite athletes under the Road to Tokyo (RTT) programme were given permission to train from June 1-30, under strict conditions.

With no major issues reported so far, the KBS, MSN and the National Sports Institute (ISN) have decided to allow for more athletes to resume training at MSN after a hiatus of more than three months since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed on March 18.

A total of 539 athletes and 142 coaches under the RTT, Podium and junior development programes will be reporting back to their designated training centres, namely the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil; Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara; Keramat MSN Sports Complex; and the National Sailing Centre, Langkawi.

For para-sports, 135 athletes and 31 coaches from the RTT and Podium programmes will be required to report to the Malaysia Paralympic Sports Excellence Centre (MPSEC) in Kampung Pandan on July 5.

MSN and ISN would also need to adhere to the General Management SOP to ensure logistics and training venues, as well as sports science and medical support services are fully prepared for national athletes to begin full-day training sessions, said the statement.

"The Minister has also directed the MSN and ISN, along with the respective national sports associations and coaches to review the training programmes that were previously formulated, in line with the current development of sports worldwide, which has been greatly affected and undergone numerous changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While the Government has given everyone a great deal of flexibility and space for training and active participation in sports and recreation, KBS wishes to remind all parties, especially coaches, athletes and sports personnel to continue to comply with the set SOPs," the statement added.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, MSN director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said all athletes returning to their respective training centres would have to undergo COVID-19 testing upon registration as well as undergo a two-day quarantine while waiting for the result.

-- BERNAMA