Rio 2016: Safety of athletes is priority - OCM

Malaysian athletes will be sent home once they have completed their respective events at the Rio Olympic Games, said the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

It's secretary general, Datuk Low Beng Choo said athletes and officials who had done away with their events would leave for home and not wait until the closing ceremony on Aug 21.

National weightlifter Mohd Hafifi Mansor, his team manager, Pang Siew Huat, and coach, Wang Zhiqun, are scheduled to leave Rio tonight after their event finished last night.

Shooter Johnathan Wong Guanjie and the archery team also completed their events today and are likely to leave within the next few days.

Low said it was normal for athletes to leave for home after their event.

"It is also for safety reasons to send them early as we are responsible for their safe arrival and departure," she added.

She said that access card for athletes who left for home would be utilised to bring in the contingent's three masseurs to the Games Village.

Due to limited access card for Malaysian contingent, she said, the three masseurs had to stay outside the Games Village and only allowed to be with the team in the village for a specific period of time each day.

She said the number of access card or accreditation card for the team's masseurs and other supportive staff is allocated according to the contingent size.

"We brought in four masseurs and only one is allowed to stay in the Games Village with the athletes and the other three come in for a certain time of the day," she said.

According to OCM provision, an athlete is given one day break after the event to leave the games or based on the flight schedule, she said.

The archery team is scheduled to leave on Saturday.