Follow advice in wake of coronavirus, athletes urged


THE National Sports Institute (ISN) has urged all national athletes to adhere to directives and advice given to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

ISN chief executive officer Ahmad Faedzal Md Ramli said national athletes currently in and also due for training and competitions, whether in or out of the country, need to be extra vigilant of the risks and threats posed by the disease.

“Athletes must always be mindful about personal hygiene and reduce outside contact. If they are training or competing overseas, keep outdoor trips to a minimum other than the competition venue,” he said.

Following the cancellation of several regional and international-level meets in China, including competitions for Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualification, Ahmad Faedzal advised athletes to reschedule their training plans and sessions.

“Some of the competitions have been rescheduled while several others are cancelled. Nevertheless, athletes must always be prepared to adapt themselves (to current developments) and change strategies to meet their objectives,” he said.

Among the Olympic qualification competitions in Wuhan which have been switched elsewhere are the boxing qualifiers, originally set for Feb 3-14 and now to take place in Amman in Jordan from March 3-11, as well as the 2020 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers third round ties involving China, Thailand and Australia, which has since been moved to Sydney, Australia.

Meets that have been cancelled include the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship in Hanzhou, China (Feb 12-13); World Diving Series in Beijing (March 7-9) and the Tour of Hainan cycling competition in South China from Feb 23-March 1.

Athletics governing body World Athletics, known as International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) before this, are also closely monitoring developments on the coronavirus outbreak before deciding on the World Indoor Athletics Championship which is supposed to take place in Nanjing from March 13 to 15.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Faedzal said the six national divers who will be returning home from their training camp in China in batches, will be brought to the ISN clinic for screening.

“They will undergo screenings by Health Ministry staff at the airport entry points, and after that as an added measure, we will conduct additional screenings to look for symptoms such as fever, cough and flu,” he added.

The squad comprising Leong Mun Yee, Pandelela Rinong, Wendy Ng Yan Yee, Kimberly Bong and Enrique Harold are currently training at the Sichuan Gymnasium in Chengdu, while 2017 world champion Cheong Jun Hoong is training separately with former national coach Yang Zhuliang in Qinhuangdao. — Bernama

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