KUCHING: Sarawak is making sports integrity a key priority as it prepares to co-host next year's SEA Games, says state Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He said issues such as corruption, match-fixing and doping could undermine athletes who compete fairly and erode public confidence in sport.
"Any sportsman would be frustrated if they have trained hard and, at the final stage, feel they have been cheated because of match-fixing, doping or other things.
"The moment someone watching a sport feels that the result is wrong, public confidence can be erased.
"But it is not just during competition. For example, if the construction of sports facilities involves corruption, it will also affect public confidence in the industry," he told reporters on Monday (Sept 28).
Abdul Karim was speaking after representing Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg at the opening of the Sarawak National Sports Integrity Conference here.
He said the three-day conference was part of preparations to ensure the 2027 SEA Games would be organised with integrity at every level, from grassroots development to athletes, officials and organisers.
"Integrity is important and a conference like this will instil it in all those involved in the sports industry, whether they are athletes, organisers or officials," he said.
Delivering the Premier's speech earlier, Abdul Karim said preparations for the SEA Games must go beyond venues, logistics and event management to include good governance, transparency and safeguards against integrity risks.
He said the success of a major sporting event should be measured not only by efficient organisation, but also by whether competitions were conducted fairly, participants treated properly, resources managed responsibly and systems could be trusted.
"In this sense, SEA Games 2027 gives us not only an opportunity to host a major sporting event but also to demonstrate the standards of governance and integrity that should underpin the future of sport in Sarawak," he said.
