KUALA LUMPUR: Sports in Malaysia continues to take a big hit.
Now, 37 athletes and 10 officials have been put in quarantine in Casa 1 of the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil because they came into close contact with hammer thrower Jackie Wong.
The SEA Games champion tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and is now undergoing treatment in Sarawak.
The National Sports Council (NSC) also announced that all their training centres in Bukit Jalil and outside of Bukit Jalil, including the Mokhtar Dahari Academy in Gambang and the National Sailing Training Centre in Langkawi, will be closed indefinitely.
All athletes, coaches and officials have been asked to go home except those still under quarantine.
A total of 16 shuttlers who have just returned from the All-England tournament in Birmingham are also under quarantine at Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.
NSC director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said all those under quarantine will go for Covid-19 testing today.
“We hope the results will come out in a day’s time and they will be allowed to go home if they test negative.
“Jackie has given his cooperation with the authorities and the decision made to put those athletes, who were in contact with him, under quarantine is a precautionary measure.
“So far, none of them have showed any sign of getting infected.
“Based on the chronology of his movements, there are two scenarios here.
“He may have got it from his father when he returned to Sarawak on March 11 or he may have got it before March 11 when he was still at Bukit Jalil here.
“The big possibility is he got it after returning to Sarawak but we are not taking any chances and hence, taking proactive measures to identify all he came into contact with.
“We have sanitised the areas he frequented. The entire premises in Bukit Jalil will be sanitised once all the athletes go back.
“Nobody can remain in the training centres until March 31.
“The shutdown order will stay until we have a new directive from the Youth and Sports Ministry,” said Shapawi.
The national athletes have also been told to follow the instructions of their respective coaches.
“They will be on an active rest period.
“Their coaches will give instructions for them to exercise on their own to minimise disruptions to their preparations for any future competitions.”
Now, 37 athletes and 10 officials have been put in quarantine in Casa 1 of the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil because they came into close contact with hammer thrower Jackie Wong.
The SEA Games champion tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and is now undergoing treatment in Sarawak.
The National Sports Council (NSC) also announced that all their training centres in Bukit Jalil and outside of Bukit Jalil, including the Mokhtar Dahari Academy in Gambang and the National Sailing Training Centre in Langkawi, will be closed indefinitely.
All athletes, coaches and officials have been asked to go home except those still under quarantine.
A total of 16 shuttlers who have just returned from the All-England tournament in Birmingham are also under quarantine at Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.
NSC director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said all those under quarantine will go for Covid-19 testing today.
“We hope the results will come out in a day’s time and they will be allowed to go home if they test negative.
“Jackie has given his cooperation with the authorities and the decision made to put those athletes, who were in contact with him, under quarantine is a precautionary measure.
“So far, none of them have showed any sign of getting infected.
“Based on the chronology of his movements, there are two scenarios here.
“He may have got it from his father when he returned to Sarawak on March 11 or he may have got it before March 11 when he was still at Bukit Jalil here.
“The big possibility is he got it after returning to Sarawak but we are not taking any chances and hence, taking proactive measures to identify all he came into contact with.
“We have sanitised the areas he frequented. The entire premises in Bukit Jalil will be sanitised once all the athletes go back.
“Nobody can remain in the training centres until March 31.
“The shutdown order will stay until we have a new directive from the Youth and Sports Ministry,” said Shapawi.
The national athletes have also been told to follow the instructions of their respective coaches.
“They will be on an active rest period.
“Their coaches will give instructions for them to exercise on their own to minimise disruptions to their preparations for any future competitions.”
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