Olympic Games spirit is about joy, disappointment but not disparity

THERE’S this duality about sports. It has always been about ups and downs, winning and losing and joys and bitter disappointments.

Such is the nature of sports, but sometimes when other humans make the choices, it can be very painful.

Just recently, two para athletes – shuttler Cheah Liek Hou and swimmer Zy Lee Ker – went through such contrasting fortunes.

For Liek Hou, it was sheer joy.

The Paralympics champion’s life was celebrated in the movie “Gold” which tells of how he became the first Malaysian to win the men’s singles gold in the SU5 (upper impairment category) at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics despite his hardships.

The launch of the movie on July 8 was attended by many VIPs, including badminton greats and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh too.

The eight-time world champion truly deserves it. He has been the role model for para athletes for his humility and the respect he has for others despite his huge success.

I am so proud of you Liek Hou and wish you all the best as you go out to defend the gold at the Paralympics in Paris.

But one has to spare a thought for Zy.

His dream of featuring in his first Paralympics from Aug 28-Sept 8 has been dashed. Not that the 17-year-old did not qualify. He did. And not just in one – he qualified for three events.

Still, he was not picked. Instead, another athlete who had qualified in one event got to go because the selectors felt the latter had a better chance of winning.

The selectors can only choose two and the slots went to Nur Syaiful Zulkafli and Imaan Aiman Redzuan.

I’m no mathematician to understand the law of probabilities but shouldn’t someone with three shots at a medal have a better chance than another in just one? Besides, Zy has a good ranking in all his events.

Not surprisingly, Zy was hurt and disappointed.

In an emotional video to Hannah, the articulate Zy pleaded for intervention. He spoke with respect and from his heart, but unfortunately, no one came to his rescue.

The selectors stuck to their guns. Sadly, that’s how it is with selection.

One man’s meat can be another’s poison. People with the authority have the final say – and whether we like it or not, we have to respect that.

Nevertheless, I’m still proud of Zy for standing up for what he thought was right.

Zy, keep up your fight. Don’t give up. You are still young and there are many more opportunities ahead of you.

I know, no one can even imagine what’s it’s like to be in your shoes but all great sportsmen have one important quality – perseverance.

You will have your moment of glory. One day, just like Liek Hou, you will stand tall.

Zy is not the first to be embroiled in selection controversies.

I’ve been reporting about sports for 27 years now, and there have always been issues in regard to selection – whether it’s concerning athletes, coaches, officials and even the presidents!

You just need to get one wrong head, and the whole running of the association goes down the drain.

In some cases, we have lost good athletes or officials because of unfair decisions or some have left because they have grown tired of the system, which they believe is flawed.

No doubt, there are many grey areas in the selection process but it needs to be done with the right intent and transparency.

I’m glad though that the wild card selection in athletics between 100m sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi and women’s 400m runner Shereen Samson Vallabouy went well before the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26-Aug 13.

Azeem was selected as he became the last and 26th Malaysian athlete named for the Games.

What made a difference in this selection is that both US-based Azeem and Shereen were professional about it as they knew both have proven themselves in their respective events.

Even as the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) were adding suspense and taking their time about deciding, both Azeem and Shereen announced that they would respect any decision and support one another.

While Azeem will be accompanied by technical director Robert Ballard, it’s unfortunate that Olympics-bound shuttler Goh Jin Wei will not have her personal coach Nova Armada with her.

The Indonesian was not selected because of the limited accreditation quota. So they say.

But with all the qualification and selection issues aside, let’s hope our athletes to the Paris Olympics – just a week away – will make us proud.

Anyone who wins the country’s first gold is set to be a multimillionaire. Many, including several corporate companies, have dangled the carrot. And he or she will surely be immortalised in a movie too like Liek Hou.

However, if more than one of them wins, we may have another headache as selectors choose the next Sportsman of the Year. Remember the B. Rajkumar issue of 1985?

But that’s a headache for another day. For now, let’s enjoy the Games in the city of love and hope that sports will do what it should do – unite the people and not be a reason for division.