Allegations of sexual misconduct under probe, says National Sports Council

 

The National Sports Council said it had never received a report or complaint from any of the athletes regarding sexual misconduct by the coach before this. (MSN pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Council (NSC) is conducting an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by a coach involving athletes.

The NSC, in a statement, said the Sports Misconduct Committee, which is authorised under the Safe Sports Code, had taken the necessary steps to carry out the investigation.

It said it received the allegation of misconduct last week and the committee had started an investigation immediately, including interviewing the relevant parties.

“Full cooperation is also being given to the police who have opened an investigation paper,” it added.

The NSC said it is giving priority to protecting the privacy of the athlete involved.

The NSC also requested the cooperation of the media and the general public so as not to add to speculations during the investigation period to avoid any negative perceptions.

The NSC insisted it had never received a report or complaint from any of the athletes regarding sexual misconduct by the coach prior to this.

“NSC rejects as completely baseless allegations that the council is trying to cover up or ignore reports that have been made.

“NSC upholds and enforces all the rules in the Safe Sports Code (to deal with harassment and abuse) and always strives to create a safe environment for all athletes who follow training programmes run by NSC,” according to the statement.

Earlier today, the local media reported that the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) confirmed that a coach had been investigated for sexually harassing a minor athlete.

According to the report, PCM president Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin said the governing body had lodged a report at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters after receiving an email regarding the matter from the Malaysian Para Swimming Association (MPSA) last week. - FMT