KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s para cycling team may be celebrating a world champion today, but the road to success was anything but smooth.
Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) technical director John Beasley has revealed that just months before Mohamad Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin’s historic triumph at the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro last week, the programme was on the brink of collapse.
“About four months ago, the relationship between the head coach and athletes had deteriorated to the point where all but one athlete signed a petition stating they could no longer continue under the coach,” Beasley told Scoop today.
“Several athletes approached me directly for help, and given the gravity of the matter, I felt it was important to step in.”
He said the athletes had even booked and paid for their own meeting room to voice their concerns, a clear sign of how critical the situation had become.
“Regardless of where the blame lay, it was evident the situation was untenable and immediate action was required,” he said.
After consulting all parties and presenting his assessment to management, Beasley made the difficult call to remove the coach.
“Once athletes lose respect and confidence in their coach, it becomes impossible to sustain performance,” he said.
The Australian then worked with the assistant coach to stabilise the programme while searching for a new leader.
“We soon approached Rizal Tisin, who expressed strong interest in the position. At that time, Rizal was Thailand’s national sprint coach, so we agreed he should transition out of that role in a professional and respectful manner.”
During the transition period, Beasley personally oversaw training sessions and supported the athletes’ preparation.
“It was rewarding to see the athletes respond positively, embracing new methods and a higher training load. Their resilience, commitment and trust were essential for success in high-performance sport.”
He credited Rizal’s arrival as the turning point.
“When Rizal officially joined, he immediately brought strong leadership and structure to the programme. His professionalism, communication and vision quickly rebuilt the athletes’ confidence and cohesion.”
Beasley said Yusof’s gold medal in Rio — Malaysia’s first-ever world para cycling title — proved that the tough decisions were worth it. The 28-year-old from Kuala Kangsar became only the second Malaysian ever to don the prestigious rainbow jersey, after Olympic medallist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang back in 2017.
Beasley stressed that the previous coach was not without merit.
“The previous coach was not a bad person, but high-performance sport demands more than technical skill — it requires leadership, communication and the ability to unite people under a shared vision,” Beasley said.
“The para cycling programme has undergone a necessary reset. The athletes are united, the leadership is strong, and the system now operates under professionalism, honesty and mutual accountability,” he added.
Beasley is currently in Chile with the national elite squad for the 2025 World Track Cycling Championships, which starts today and runs until Sunday. — October 22, 2025
The post Beasley reveals para cycling crisis months before Yusof’s world title appeared first on Scoop.
