The comment that described the nation’s athletes as 'ultra kiasu' who were only chasing after popularity was an insult towards the country’s heroes.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said the comments by independent speaker Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee in a newspaper column recently were way off track, and he was better off not talking about sports at all.

"His comments were highly insulting to our athletes, inaccurate and I felt very disappointed and angry when I read it.

"I know our athletes…maybe Ridhuan Tee has never met them. But I know them and what they do is strive for the country, regardless of race and background.

"To assume otherwise would be insulting and irresponsible, and it would be better for him (Ridhuan Tee) to not talk about sports because it shows so much that he knows nothing about it," Khairy told reporters after officiating the Bandar Tun Razak UMNO delegates meeting here today.

Before this, Ridhuan Tee had reportedly claimed that sports was no longer about patriotism but has developed into a business of seeking popularity and money.

He also questioned the amount of limelight given to national shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei as compared to other athletes who also won big at the recently-concluded 2016 Rio Olympics.