Kuala Lumpur: He has been through it and knows the importance and benefits of overseas exposure for national athletes.
Now, Southeast Asian discus champion Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin (pic) wants more national athletes to be sent overseas for competitions or training regularly so that they can fully realise their potential and talent.
The 25-year-old, who holds the national discus record at 62.55 metres, urged fellow athletes to be bold in voicing out their needs to national sports associations or the National Sports Council (NSC) for the sake of their own progress in sports. He said this included letting the authorities know of their desire to train or compete overseas, as such exposure can bring their performances to the next level.
“Do not just keep them in the country. To me, we need to get help (expertise) from foreigners. What we have in the country is good, but we still need their support.
“That’s why there is nothing like giving athletes exposure by sending them overseas to train or compete in championships,” he said.
The four-time SEA Games champion said he was making this call not out of self-interest but for the common good of athletes, especially those who faced problems but didn’t want to speak up. Muhammad Irfan said he knew of some athletes, especially back-up athletes, who quit because they lacked motivation and could not deal with problems.
“I have gone through what junior athletes are facing now. Some of them could not take it and quit half-way. I might be in trouble for saying all this,” said Muhammad Irfan, who is known to be vocal in raising issues affecting the sport.
He questioned why efforts were not made to stop athletes with potential from quitting after they decided to throw in the towel when their requests were not fulfilled. “I had to appeal to be sent to championships. For the sake of sports development, I hope my views will be taken in good faith and there won’t be any backlash,” he added.
Muhammad Irfan has had his fair share of run-ins with sports authorities. He took his grouses to social media after the contract of his former coach Frantisek Petrovic was terminated and when there was a delay in approving his applications to train in the Czech Republic and Turkey in 2019.
Subsequently, he himself financed his 85-day training stint in the Czech Republic, at an estimated cost of more than RM100,000.
His action was criticised by NSC and the Malaysian Athletics Federation but the matter eventually blew over. Muhammad Irfan had also gone on a government-sponsored training stint in Praque prior to that.
