KBS Supports Sports Associations To Bring In Heritage Athletes - Hannah Yeoh

KOTA BHARU, July 3 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) supports the efforts of any sports association including football, aquatics and swimming to bring in heritage athletes, as long as they comply with the set international regulations.

Its Minister, Hannah Yeoh said each sport has its own international regulations whether relating to heritage or naturalised players and her ministry does not have any problem regarding the matter.

"We follow international regulations, if FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations) allows it, we are ok and if 'World Aquatics' allows heritage athletes, we are also ok because it is according to the regulations approved by their respective sports bodies.

"We give priority to local talent but every team that comes out to compete must want to win...as long as they want to win and follow the rules, we will support them," she told reporters after officiating the ASEAN Youth Robotics 2025 (ASEAN Y-RoboC' 25), here today.

However, Hannah reminded all sports associations not to make the step of taking naturalised or heritage athletes an easy step to find victory because KBS has channelled an allocation of RM1 million through the National Sports Council (MSN) for the purpose of developing grassroots athletes, especially for the Olympic Games since 2023.

"In fact, efforts to bring in heritage or naturalised players also need to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN)," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the contract issue between the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and world number three women's doubles Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, Hannah said the issue did not affect them in the Road to Gold (RTG) programme because their party always supports all athletes who have been listed as gold prospects at the 2028 Olympic Games.

-- BERNAMA