M'sia need commission with all stakeholders, foreign experts to develop sports - Peter

Malaysia need to establish a commission with all stakeholders and foreign experts to formulate short and long term programmes to improve the country's poor performance in sports.

Former Asian Football Confederation Secretary-General Datuk Peter Vellapan suggested the commission include the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and experts in sports development around the world.

"Combining ideas of experts such as from Malaysia, Australia, Japan, China and United States may help our country to have a progressive and systematic development of talented athletes.

"The most important thing is we need a club in all sports...integral part of development at different age levels start from 12 years to 23 years," Peter told reporters during a joint press conference at the Wisma Olympic Council Malaysia (OCM) here today.

Also present were OCM Honorary Secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi and Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCA) medical committee and anti-doping commission chairman Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan.

Malaysian contingent failed to reach the target set for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the Asian Games in Incheon last month.

Peter said Malaysia also needed professional sports leaders who are serious about developing sports in the country.

"We are lacking on professional leadership in national sports associations. We need leaders with passion in sports to ensure talented athletes grow up in a systematic and progressive development programme," he said.

Meanwhile, Kok Chi said all national sports associations should accept responsibility for the poor performances B Category athletes in major competitions.

"We all know that A category athletes are selected to represent the country and funded by the government and those who are not qualified represent their sports under B category which is funded by the association.

"However, the president of associations still have a responsibility to the athletes and to the country. You can't give a reason that athletes are not under government funding (who had shown poor performances)," said Kok Chi.