In limbo: Ezuan is back in uniform but not back in training as he has no rifle.
KUALA LUMPUR: The country’s top rifle shooter Mohd Ezuan Nasir Khan is in a dilemma after his contract which ended on March 31, was not extended.
The 31-year-old from Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, reported back to work at the Navy Training Base in Lumut on Wednesday but he is unable to continue training at the base as he does not have a rifle.
The rifle and equipment in Bukit Jalil belong to the National Sports Council (NSC) and Ezuan, who is a Laskar Kanan (Leading Seaman), is not allowed to bring the items to Lumut for training.
Ezuan said he did not know how he was going to train in Lumut without his rifle.
“I am in a dilemma. First, my contract is not extended and now I am not allowed to bring the rifle and equipment out of Bukit Jalil.
“I request to NSC to please give me permission to use the rifle and equipment to train in Lumut, ” said Ezuan, who has represented Malaysia since 2005.
“It looks like my career in shooting is over unless the NSC can help rope me back into the national training programme, ” said Ezuan.
Ezuan joined the Navy in 2009 and was released to train with the national team for competitions.
But the NSC have decided not to extend Ezuan’s contract after he returned empty-handed from the Philippines SEA Games last December.
Ezuan, who bagged gold in the men’s 50m rifle prone individual in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017, finished sixth in the final in the 10m air rifle event in the Philippines.He said he was disappointed at being left out of the training programme as he was the only Malaysian men’s rifle shooter to qualify for the final in the Philippines.
“In the qualifying, I finished third but it was unfortunate that I did not win a medal in the final, ” said Ezuan, a silver medallist at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
“Although I don’t have a rifle to train, I will continue to compete for the Navy in domestic events by borrowing a rifle.
“I want to do well and try to regain my place in the national team, ” said Ezuan, who has featured in five SEA Games.
