PCM welcomes move to let para athletes join RTT special centralised training

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 -- Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) has welcomed the proposal by the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) to place para athletes under the Road to Tokyo (RTT) programme through the implementation of special centralised training after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

PCM secretary-general Datuk R. Subramaniam said the move was among the most effective methods of carrying out overall monitoring on all aspects of the athletes’ health and safety, apart from being the best approach to curb the spread of COVID-19 among athletes.

On Monday, KBS Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican had suggested that a working paper be submitted to Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to find ways on how centralised training for high-performance RTT sports could be accomplished at various venues nationwide.

“Through recent virtual meeting with the minister (Ismail Sabri), we were able to update him on our latest preparations as well as on the challenges faced due to the pandemic.

“This way, we can carry out structured training in accordance with the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) guidelines so that para athletes will not be bored and lose the desire to fight for their targets.

“The concern shown by the minister has assured the driving force behind the country’s sports fraternity that it will always have the necessary support and aid from the government to continue to develop para sports in the country,” he said in a statement today.

Subramaniam said that the recent online meeting was also attended by eight national para sports associations which had been told to update their preparations for the RTT by Reezal.

Meanwhile, national long jump para athlete Abdul Latif Romly, in welcoming the KBS’ effort to get permission for RTT athletes to resume high-performance centralised training, said it was the best way to ensure they would be in top physical shape after spending over 50 days just training at home.

 “As top-class athletes, we need a complete facility to continue training. At home it’s difficult for us to train as there are lots of distractions. For example, we can’t train if it rains although our coaches have prepared training programmes for us.

“We too are afraid (of COVID-19), but training is also important. As athletes, we need intensive training and I am ready to report for duty if the National Sports Council (NSC) gives us the green light.

“Can you imagine I have lost nearly three kilogrammes and also my muscle mass by staying at home? This certainly worries me as my fitness level has also dropped,” said the 2016 Rio Paralympic gold medallist in a statement today. 

-- BERNAMA