Friday, January 30, 2009

Throwing their weight around

KL 1998 gold medallist, Hidayat Hamidon

Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob had to intervene as six national weightlifters led by 2002 Commonwealth Games triple gold medallist Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim and KL'98 gold medallist Hidayat Hamidon were given a "moral lift" with the removal of Stefan Stefanov as the head coach. Read here

Ismail is certainly not the first Minister to intervene in a direct dispute between athlete and the national body.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was required to act when 14 bowlers rebelled against the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) in 2000 and demanded Sid Allen be removed as the national coach. It ended with the keglers apologising to the national body. But I don't wish to dwell on it, lest that I be sued for it!

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