The National Sports Council has rejected claims by national cycling technical director and coach John Beasley that there were no discussions on Azizulhasni Awang’s future.
In a statement today, the NSC said it was “extremely surprised” by the remarks, stating that it has held several meetings with the national track cycling ace regarding preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The response came following Azizulhasni’s nine-page statement on Thursday seeking clarity from the Youth and Sports Ministry and the NSC on whether Malaysia still wanted him as part of its LA28 campaign.
“The situation now is not about whether I want to continue racing towards LA28 or not. The question is whether Malaysia still needs my services for LA28,” Azizulhasni said.
He said certainty was needed for him to plan his training, competitions, family commitments and sponsorship arrangements.
Azizulhasni also said he was prepared to continue as a fully professional rider without government grants.
“If it makes things easier, I am prepared to operate fully as a professional without receiving grants from the ministry and the NSC. The funds can be channelled to other riders,” he said.
He had also proposed splitting his training between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne and sought safeguards over athletes’ rights to Olympic qualification points they accumulated.
Beasley said on Thursday that the NSC should state its position on the cyclist’s place in the LA28 programme.
Lists of meetings
The council said it has consistently supported Azizulhasni and had conveyed this through meetings involving NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin and other senior officials before and after the Commonwealth Games.
It also held discussions with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation on July 7 over the Olympic Pathway, including Azizulhasni’s role in securing qualification points.
On Aug 13, Azizulhasni met Road to Gold programme head Akmal Ahmad Zainuddin, Podium Programme head Halif Asro Ramzi Sulaiman and National Sports Institute Sports Science Branch head Izham Mohamad.
According to the NSC, Azizulhasni said he had begun planning for LA28 but had yet to finalise the programme.
His requests included additional sports science and medical support, continued access to NSC and National Sports Institute facilities, and a hybrid training arrangement between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne.
“NSC, during the meeting, agreed to all these requests - including several other additional requests,” the council said.
It added that grants for Azizulhasni would continue as before, while participation in major competitions such as the Asian Cycling Championships and World Cycling Championships would be funded on a team basis.
Youth and Sports Minister Taufiq Johari also raised the need to continue supporting Azizulhasni at an NSC management board meeting on Aug 13, where the proposal received the board’s approval.
Awaiting full proposal
The council said it emailed Azizulhasni on Aug 27, asking him to submit a complete programme and budget before funding arrangements could be finalised.
The proposal would cover his training and competition schedule, performance targets, Olympic qualification pathway, coaching and support requirements, sports science and medical needs, facilities, logistics and annual expenditure.
“Once a response is received from Azizulhasni, the NSC will then be able to carry out the necessary steps and processes to secure funding for him throughout the qualification campaign,” it said.
The NSC further said Azizulhasni had agreed during the Aug 13 meeting that an announcement on his Olympic training programme would only be made jointly after the World Cycling Championships in Shanghai from Oct 14 to 18.
It said this was meant to allow him to focus on preparations for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
“Claims that the NSC has ignored Azizulhasni’s plans or failed to appreciate his contributions and service over the years are irresponsible, as the NSC’s commitment and support for the national cycling hero have remained steadfast for a long time,” it said.
The council added that recent media reports had compelled it to clarify the matter publicly. - Mkini
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