Syed Saddiq wants politicians to stay out of sports associations

One for the album: Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman posing for a photograph during the NSC gallery launching ceremony yesterday. — SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman does not want politicians to be involved in sports associations in the future.

“I want to make changes in sports associations. There are so many politicians in sports and athletes welfare is not taken care off,” said Syed Saddiq after a briefing with the National Sports Council (NSC), National Sports Institute (ISN) and Malaysian Stadiums Board officials in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

“Sometimes the money they received from the government is not being channelled properly to their associations.

“Presidents of sports associations should not be influenced politically.

“I don’t want politicians to run the sports associations. Instead, I want ex-athletes, especially those who really know the sports well to run the sports associations,” said Syed Saddiq.

He said he wanted those who have the spirit of sports to run the associations as they will have the drive to take sports to greater heights.

“We want to come out with the right model to make sure the welfare of the athletes is well taken care of.

“There are some sports associations, who are not following the proper process in channelling the money.

“And we will stop giving them their annual grants so that they can learn from their mistakes,” he added.