KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) will ensure the implementation of the Safe Sport Code is extended until the grassroots level beginning next year to create a safe and harmonious sports environment.

Its Minister, Hannah Yeoh said the Safe Sport Code is a guideline that must be adhered to by everyone involved in any sports event, competition or tournament, including parents.

For example, without referring to any video, Hannah said she does not want to see any more incidents of referees, umpires or opposition teams being attacked by parents during games.

"I don't want to see videos where if a child loses, the parents scold the referee or umpire, scold the opposition team (because) that is not a safe or healthy sports environment.

"So, next year we will emphasise the implementation of the Safe Sport Code so that everyone who is involved knows their responsibilities, including the children,” she said when met at the inaugural Pink Blitz Touch Rugby Porto ’23 championship at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara here today.

Elaborating, Hannah said that apart from having to prepare a report should there be an incident of any argument, the organisers or school authorities also have the responsibility to ensure that all parties comply with regulations and guidelines.

"Parents are not allowed to interfere (disrupt matches) and school teachers need not be afraid of the parents. We want to ensure there is a trend towards reporting (such incidents) and action is taken,” she said.

Hannah also said that the ministry needs to cooperate with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to pave the way for the implementation of the Safe Sport Code in schools, saying it has come to her knowledge that not all students are aware of the code.

She said all cases received by the KBS would be brought before the highest level of the committee meeting, which also involves the MoE and Ministry of Higher Education, which is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

In another development, Hannah said KBS will meet with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) next month to set guidelines regarding tax exemption for the purchase of sports equipment and sports activities involving the payment of fees to under training.

Earlier, Hannah launched the Under-10 and Under-12 touch rugby tournament here which was participated by 20 teams from schools nationwide.

Tournament director Abdul Hafiz Abdul Rahman said they planned to make the tournament an annual affair to further promote the sport among school students.

-- BERNAMA