Sports ministry issues guidelines on haze to organisers

The Youth and Sports Ministry today decided to draw guidelines or protocol to ensure sports events organised can go on without affecting the health of athletes and members of the public following the haze situation in the country.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the guidelines and protocol that was decided was to limit the maximum Air Pollutant Index (API) to a reading of 100 for events to go on.

"This is because API reading above 100 is deemed unhealthy by the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment," said Khairy in a statement, here, today.

He added that indoor events can go on, including events involving the 16th SUKMA that starts on Friday. Khairy said sports events or championships would be postponed or cancelled if the API reading at the venue for such events or championships register above 100 API for three consecutive days before the date of the competition.

"Such events or championships will also be postponed or cancelled if the location registered a continuous increase of 100 or more daily," he said.

He said organisers would be given notice of postponement or cancellation at least 24 hours before such action was taken.

Within the next two weeks, four major championships are scheduled to take place in the country, namely the SUKMA in the Klang Valley from June 28 to July 7, World Hockey League Semifinals in Johor Baharu (June 29 to July 7); Tour of Malaysia Cycling Championship (June 26-30) and the FA Cup football final between Kelantan and Johor Darul Takzim at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

Khairy said the ministry would also urge organisers of events or championships to set similar guidelines to ensure the welfare and health of the athletes.

Apart from the guidelines, the Ministry, National Sports Council and the National Sports Institute would continue to monitor the haze situation, he said.