Julian
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Karate Association (SKA) will wait for the official word on any changes to the 20th Malaysia Games (Sukma) new rules and guidelines before deciding on their next course of action.
Secretary general of SKA, Julian Chin, said the postponement of the Games from April next year to 2022 has made it difficult for the association to draw up its training programme, with age limit being the main concern.
“There’s not much we can do about it but wait for the official announcement.
“While waiting we have reminded our athletes to stay fit. We will also conduct fitness test to make sure that they will be ready for action if needed,” he said yesterday.
Julian made the remark following the postponement of Sukma to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic has put the association in a limbo, as some of the athletes may not be eligible due to overage.
“It is our main concern now. The situation has made it difficult for us to make a decision on our current trainees because we need to know what will be the age limit for the Sukma 2022,” he said.
For the record, Sukma is contested by under-21 athletes but with the postponement, the current trainees who were earmarked for the Games originally scheduled for July this year and then delayed to April next year may be over the age when the 2022 Sukma is staged.
Several state associations too have called for the age limit to be increased to 23-year-old as to be fair to the existing athletes who have trained hard since the last Games in Perak 2018 only for the pandemic to deny them the chance to compete.
Last month, Federal Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican announced that the 20th edition of the Games will now be in 2022 where Johor will remain as the host.
He added that Sukma Special Technical Committee at the national level would study and propose changes in regulations, including age limit and participation qualification, in a meeting expected to be conducted this month.
“Hopefully there will be a definite decision by then so that we can move on and plan for the Sukma 2022,” Julian concluded.
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