KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Council (NSC) welcome the initiative by Malaysia Aquatics (MA) to scout for heritage swimmers to further strengthen the national swimming squad.
NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said the council are prepared to support any heritage athlete who has the potential to contribute to Malaysian sports.
However, these swimmers must first meet the requirements set by NSC, he pointed out.
"They will only be given assistance if they qualify for the Podium Programme or other related programmes. So there’s no additional financial implication," said Jefri after officiating the Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) annual general meeting at the World Trade Centre (WTC) on Sunday (June 29).
"Like any other athlete, they must meet the criteria set by NSC to be admitted into the programme, or by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to represent the country in international competitions," he said.
On Saturday, MA disclosed that the association were actively working to identify heritage swimmers based abroad.
MA swimming committee chairman Marilyn Chua said they have already identified five promising candidates, aged between 14 and 19 years old.
Meanwhile, Jefri commended the leadership of PSM under its president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan, saying it has improved significantly compared to the past.
He expressed hope that other sports associations will follow PSM’s example, which has led to its current strong standing. - Bernama
