PUTRAJAYA: National diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong’s (pix) request for athletes to be given more consistent support services to prepare for the Paris Olympics 2024 is among issues to be discussed at the maiden meeting of the Road To Gold (RTG) Committee on Thursday.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the committee would give priority to such feedback in an effort to realise Malaysia’s dream of winning their first ever Olympics gold.
“What was raised by Pandelela was our main reason for establishing this RTG, which is to remove roadblocks and help athletes with potential to win medals. We want to give better support and top up on what they are getting under the Podium Programme now.
“Several issues have been brought to the attention of the RTG committee and we will look into them,” said Hannah, a joint chairman of the committee, at a press conference on the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) facility directory here today.
Yesterday, Pandelela was reported as saying the diving squad were hoping to get more consistent support services like the sports physiotherapists and biomechanics provided during the London 2012 and Rio 2016 editions, apart from video analyses.
Pandelela created history by becoming Malaysia’s first female Olympics medallist when she won bronze in the 10 metres platform at the 2012 Games, before going on to clinch silver in the synchronised 10m platform with Cheong Jun Hoong in the 2016 edition.
Meanwhile, Hannah said the RTG Committee would not announce the list of athletes for the programme yet, out of respect for the wishes of three former greats – Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Datuk Nicol David and Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi – who are part of the committee.
“We have not yet discussed the matter thoroughly and although we as administrators would like to announce the list, we need to respect the perspective of former athletes. A review is needed as, for example, a world top 10 athlete now may not qualify by next year and there may be new qualifiers then.
“The qualifying period has not even started for some, so we have to identify (athletes) based on existing rankings, past Olympics achievements and the potential to win medals,” she added.
Asked on threats by several countries to boycott Paris 2024 or qualifying tournaments if athletes from Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete, Hannah said Malaysia had yet to discuss this issue.
“We have yet to discuss this with OCM (Olympic Council of Malaysia). I am sure (OCM president) Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria will bring this to the committee’s attention when we meet. How other countries respond will be separate from how we would respond. So let me discuss with OCM first,” she said.
Ukraine and several other Western countries were unhappy with the International Olympic Committee’s recent decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in qualifying tournaments and have threatened to boycott the events over the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. - Bernama
