Formula To Solve Sepak Takraw Crisis To Be Announced Soon Reezal

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A new formula to resolve the conflict of the Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) will be announced in the near future after discussions with all stakeholders, said Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
He said it was especially important to reunite 11 members of the association who decided to leave the sport governing body after losing faith in its former president Ahmad Ismail who resigned on Friday.
“The formula to resolve this crisis is for the sake of sepak takraw as a whole because as the minister I am the custodian of Act 576 (Sports Development Act 1997) which empowers me to see the development of sports. I’m not here to look after sports associations but sports development.
"If the internal crisis affects and hinders the development of the sport, then I am responsible to find a solution," Reezal (above) told reporters after visiting the Paralympic Sports Centre of Excellence in Kampung Pandan here today.
Asking all parties to be patient for now, Reezal Merican said the solution process should not take shortcuts and it should instead be done comprehensively by taking into account PSM's own legal, regulatory and constitutional factors.

At the same time, he believed that Sports Commissioner Ibrahim Mohd Yusof could play a mediating role and find more practical ways to restore confidence to all 11 members of the association, the public, the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF) and the International Sepak Takraw Federation.
Reezal personally felt that Ismail's resignation could open a new chapter in resolving the PSM conflict apart from describing the action as a big-hearted move.
On May 20, ASTAF removed PSM from being a member of the parent body's coalition following Ahmad's action as ASTAF's deputy president in sending a letter allegedly insulting the association to the Olympic Council of Asia and the International Olympic Committee on Feb 24.
Meanwhile, Reezal said that the National Sports Council was still in touch with Singapore to help the national equestrian athlete, Mohd Qabil Ambak Mahamad Fathil, who is currently in the country to get the Covid-19 vaccine shot before leaving for Aarhus, Denmark for a training session.
He also wished Qabil success in his last attempt to grab a slot in the Tokyo Olympics, Japan next month, through his participation in the CDI (International Dressage) event in Le Mans, France from June 17-21.

Qabil was named as a replacement in the dressage event by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) after one of two riders who had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics through Group G of the qualifying tournament for the Southeast Asia and Oceania zones in 2019 withdrew recently.
Meanwhile, Reezal said his ministry had restructured the quarantine-based training programme and established a quarantine centre for national athletes returning from abroad at the Paralympic Sports Centre of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur.
He added that only the group of athletes who have continuous important training programmes and competitions, namely the Olympics and Paralympic Games in Tokyo will be stationed at the centre which can accommodate 36 athletes and coaches at a time.
- Bernama

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