Suspended Chong Wei nominated for 2014 National Sportsman Award

Former world number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei who has been suspended by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for an alleged dope offence was among nominees for the 2014 National Sportsman and Sportswoman Awards.

Apart from Chong Wei, current women's world number one squash player Datuk Nicol David heads the cast for the award.

Youth and Sports Ministry's chief secretary Datuk Jamil Salleh said 12 candidates were nominated for the Sportsman of the Year award while nine were listed for the Sportswoman award.

"The selection for the Sportsman and Sportswoman awards is going to be a very challenging task because all the nominees had produced excellent performances throughout last year.

"We are also doing our best to ensure all nominees attend the awards ceremony. However, we know that some may be involved in international competitions," he told reporters after chairing a selection committee meeting for the awards ceremony, at Menara KBS, here today.

Apart from Chong Wei, the men's list has Sazali Samad (bodybuilding), Hafifi Mansor (weightlifting), Mohd Azizulhasni Awang (cycling), Lim Chee Wei (karate), Muhammad Ezuan Nasir Khan (shooting), Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy (sailing), Mohd Al-Jufferi Jamari (silat), Mohamad Fairus Abd Jabal (lawn bowls), Ong Beng Hee (squash), Ooi Tze Liang (swimming) and Mohd Rafiq Ismail (tenpin bowling).

The women's cast include Nicol, Tan Li Lian (body building), Syakilla Salni Jefri Krisnan (karate), Siti Zalina Ahmad (lawn bowls), Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi (shooting), Siti Rahmah Mohamed Nasir (silat), Cheong Jun Hoong (swimming) and Sin Li Jane (tenpin bowling).

The main awards (Sportsman, Sportswoman) aside, winners for nine more categories will be selected by the panel comprising representatives from the Youth and Sports Ministry, National Sports Council, Olympic Council of Malaysia, Sportswriters Association of Malaysia and media organisations.

Jamil said only 14 of the 47 National sports associations, the Malaysian Paralympics Council included, submitted their nominations.