OCM accountable for poor performance in sport

 

From Ibrahim M Ahmad

It is unfortunate that comments made by sports commissioner Suhardi Alias at a closed-door meeting two weeks ago were leaked across social media to generate more unnecessary bad press for the state of sport in our country.

In an audio clip lasting a mere one minute and 21 seconds, the commissioner allegedly threatened to de-register the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), eliciting a police report by Suhardi, and a complaint by OCM to the youth and sports minister.

Suhardi claims his statements were taken out of context.

The question of what actually transpired at the meeting (held with two rival esports associations but not attended by OCM) and the context in which the comments were made, are best left to both authorities to investigate.

On the Saturday following the meeting, Suhardi was reported to have issued a statement in which he said that OCM was not above the law and must abide by the Sports Development Act 1997.

He also reportedly said that the two national sports associations headed by OCM president Norza Zakaria (Badminton Association of Malaysia) and deputy president Hamidin Amin (Football Association of Malaysia) had both failed to achieve their targets at the Phnom Penh Sea Games in May.

That remark triggered a response last Monday from OCM secretary-general Nazifuddin Najib, who claimed that Suhardi ought not to have touched on the performance and achievements of athletes.

According to OCM, the jurisdiction of the sports commissioner’s office is limited by law to the “registration”, “cancellation” or “suspension” of sports bodies registered under Act.

With all due respect, that claim is wholly untenable.

Anyone who has followed Malaysian sport will know that its standards, almost across the board, have been in freefall for some time now.

The decline is even more stark in the light of recent FMT stories about sporting legends who brought immeasurable glory to the country at world, Asian and regional level.

Younger Malaysians are unfortunate not to have seen these national heroes in action. They would have been inspired. Regrettably, most would not even know their names.

But, for the time being, let’s forget about being the best in the world, or even on the continent.

In 2023, Malaysia plummeted to mediocre standards even in Southeast Asia.

The country fared miserably at the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh, ranking seventh (in a field of just 11 nations) and bringing home only 34 gold medals.

To put things in perspective, Malaysia only ranked higher than Myanmar (21 gold), Laos (6), Brunei (2) and Timor-Leste, which won eight bronze medals.

In contrast, Singapore – that tiny plot of land floating south of us – ranked sixth with 50 gold, while host country Cambodia racked up 81 to finish fourth, behind Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

Of Malaysia’s 34 gold medals, athletics brought five; karate, pencak silat and diving – four each; taekwondo (three); sailing, hockey, billiards and wushu (two each), while swimming, pentaque, golf, road cycling, and – believe it or not – dance, won one each.

Glaringly missing from that list were football and badminton, two of Malaysia’s favourite sports.

On April 30, just prior to the 2023 SEA Games, youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh announced OCM’s medal target – 40 gold, 37 silver and 64 bronze. No breakdown was given according to sport, but surely badminton would have featured prominently as a gold medal prospect. Football may well have been, as well.

The modest target of 40 must have been based on the country’s performance at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam – where we won 39 gold, 45 silver and 90 bronze medals, already the lowest medal tally and overall ranking (sixth) secured over the last 10 editions of the games.

Unfortunately, Malaysia fared even worse, and the minister was forced to make excuses for the poor performance, which included blaming it on the political uncertainty the country was experiencing.

But leaving politics aside and looking at the matter purely from a sporting point of view, the question that should be asked is: Who should we hold accountable for our longstanding poor performance?

Surely, a consistently declining trajectory over two decades cannot always be down to individual coaches or athletes. Shouldn’t the associations and their governing bodies be taken to task as well?

OCM president Norza Zakaria has helmed OCM since May 5, 2018, taking over after Malaysia had won a staggering 145 gold medals at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

In that capacity, and as chairman of the athletes’ selection committee, what is his explanation for the national contingent’s poor performance over the subsequent three editions of the games?

Sports development in this country was not intended to be carried out by means of random programmes put together on an ad hoc basis by sports bodies that are self-governing.

No, in Malaysia, sports development has been legislated for, meaning that the minister is accountable to Parliament for it.

Section 3 of the Act provides that the minister is responsible for issuing guidelines in relation to “the development of sports, including long-term development programmes for sportspersons, coaches and sports administrators, and officials at all levels”.

Next, Section 10 of the Act provides for the appointment of a sports commissioner as the minister thinks necessary for the proper administration of this Act.

Section 12 of the Act gives the sports commissioner power to call up or direct any person to disclose information, documents and reports necessary for the exercise of his powers and functions under the Act. He is also vested with the power to register, refuse to register, suspend and de-register a sports body.

Section 9 of the Act subjects even the OCM to the provisions of the Act, meaning that they are accountable to the minister, acting through the sports commissioner, for the development of sports in the country.

OCM says that the scope of the commissioner’s inquiry is limited to the registration, suspension and de-registration of registered sports bodies.

Is it suggesting that the sports minister is irrelevant, and the commissioner a mere rubber-stamp? Surely, that was not the intention of Parliament.

Lest we forget, the Act concerns the “development” of sport in the country.

How do you measure development if not by questioning the performance and achievements of athletes?

What are the “long-term development programmes for sportspersons, coaches and sports administrators, and officials” – which Section 3 of the Act refers to – if not those that promote sporting excellence?

OCM need not be worried about any “unilateral” or “arbitrary” use by the sports commissioner of his powers under the Act. After all, he reports to the minister, who, in turn, reports to Parliament.

In any case, there are always avenues to challenge his exercise of power.

OCM can appeal to the minister and insist that she exercise her power under Section 21(2) to refer the dispute to the sports advisory council panel established under Section 27 of the Act before deciding on any matter.

It can even seek to challenge an adverse decision in court as it sees fit.

In essence, the law does not permit OCM and the 58 sports bodies under its umbrella to avoid accountability for the success or failure of their sports development programmes by hiding behind some Olympic or international sports charter.

Sports fans in this country will not have that anymore. Too much taxpayer money is being flushed down the drain to finance the current level of mediocrity. This country can no longer afford such luxuries.

It was also reported that OCM has stooped to the level of calling the sports commissioner “extremely belligerent” and acting with “temerity”. If true, that is regrettable. Again, that is something best left to the authorities to deal with.

In any case, the sports commissioner’s office has already expressed regret at some of its comments. Fair play to Suhardi and his team on that score.

All stakeholders in sport must learn to put their egos aside and work together for the glory of the country. - FMT

Ibrahim M Ahmad is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.