SHAH ALAM: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) will assist and provide the necessary support to the Malaysian American Football Association (MAFA) in developing the flag football in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States qualification.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli (pix) said his office will hold discussions with the National Sports Council, MAFA and related parties in the sport to plan the best method to promote the sport.
Therefore, he said, the organisation of the Asia-Oceania Flag Football Continental Championship which started today can be a yardstick for KBS to design suitable programmes in addition to assessing the needs and support that should be given to the sport.
“If we develop well and give all the necessary support, we have the potential to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games. I am confident that MAFA and other friends in Asia have a healthy enough community to develop together and KBS will help and support as best as possible,“ he said when met by reporters after officiating the Asia-Oceania Flag Football tournament, here today.
Meanwhile, MAFA president Mohd Shahmil Bahari said he is confident that if the national flag football team is given enough exposure, the sport will be able to go far and is now also planning various programmes to intensify the development of the sport at grassroots level.
“In the tournaments we participated in before, the national team often made it to the finals. With the help from KBS, it is not impossible for us to go further,“ he said.
“We need to increase the number of activities related to (the sport) so that more people know about this sport and we can produce more players,“ he said.
The Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championship which takes place today until Sunday has the participation of 11 countries including Thailand, Australia, India and New Zealand. -Bernama
