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KUALA LUMPUR – National athletes should be given special guidance to help them better withstand criticism, as long as there are no specific laws or regulations that deal with such matters at the moment.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the culture of criticising athletes is not something new and has worsened due to the existence of social media, as each individual has a space to express their opinion either based on facts or emotion.
“During international competition season, these athletes are like ‘pressure-cookers’ that go through years of training and successfully arrive at the competition carrying the country’s name and Jalur Gemilang.
“But if they don’t clinch a medal, they are immediately criticised. This is cruel and unfair.
“People out there forget that these athletes are the ones lifting the country’s name,” Syed Saddiq, who is a former youth and sports minister, told The Vibes’ Bahasa Malaysia sister portal Getaran, today.
Meanwhile, sports analyst Rizal Hashim said it has become normal in an athlete's life to be praised when winning and criticised when losing.
“There are some athletes that receive criticism and feedback as a fuel for motivation. But there are also some that have their spirits broken from it.
“Because social media has become mainstream, every athlete will face challenges like this, regardless whether they are world class.
“Like it or not, the topic of media challenges should be used as a syllabus to form authoritative athletes that are strong in spirit and rich in knowledge,” he said.
Rizal said with fans following them, athletes should accept the fact that not all parties will be satisfied with their performance.
“You can’t please everyone. You are not a jar of Nutella,” he said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Clinical Psychology and Behavioural Health Programme’s senior lecturer Shazli Ezzat Ghazali said society should respect athletes and act more maturely on social media platforms.
“They are netizens who are not mature and open minded to accept defeat by national athletes.
“These people act through their emotions and take the opportunity to speak on social media without considering other people’s feelings,” he said.
He explained that criticism should be constructive to an athlete’s progress, not to break their spirit.
“Social media needs to be used wisely. Open discussions should not be misused to the point of frustration.
“Therefore, netizens are advised to re-evaluate the use of social media so that it is more beneficial and not used as a space to write thoughtless comments without thinking of the negative effects on oneself,” he added.
Recently, national diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong Pamg failed to bring home a medal in the 10m platform event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Seen as a disappointment, her failure was criticised by netizens on social media.
“We don’t need to hope for a positive result, because it is proven that a champions mentality may go astray, even if there are big names on the field. The proof is coming back empty-handed.
“Despite being on the podium often, focus on new faces,” said user Salehudin Sidek Saleh.
“Just retire Datuk, before more failures happen after this. Like people say, we should go out when we are on top and people still see us as heroes,” said another netizen known as Misarifin Amin.
However, the criticism also invited reactions from parties that were quick to defend Pandelela.
Pandelela even shared on Twitter regarding her failure to secure medals at the prestigious games.
“This is my fourth experience at the Commonwealth Games. No medals to take home.
“Coming to Birmingham, I always gave it my best because I know how important this event is for the country.
“However, my body’s recovery process has been slower than expected since returning from the World Championships in Budapest and has continued to bother me since I arrived.
“Always remember that we can bring a positive influence to the people around us. A lot of damage has been done to this world and people are still looking for answers. I just hope and pray that we can do small things that make a difference to our society,” she said.
Pandelela’s Tweet received positive reactions and support from netizens.
“It’s okay Datuk Lela, you have done so much for our country and thank you for representing Malaysia in Birmingham,” said user @NurMaisarahAli4.
“You are doing great. Don’t be disappointed because I know you will come back stronger than that,” said @nurhk18. – The Vibes, August 15, 2022
