RTG coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam says Azizulhasni’s return will be discussed after the 2026 Asian Games.
KUALA LUMPUR: The possibility of national track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang returning to the Road To Gold (RTG) programme will be discussed after the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, said RTG coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam.
He said the matter would be among the agenda at an RTG meeting following the Games, which will run from Sept 19 to Oct 4. The meeting would serve as a post-mortem on the athletes’ performances and achievements throughout the season and also discuss plans for next year.
“As I have said, the process (of being listed in the RTG) is conducted in phases and has its own structure and criteria. My role is more as an administrator of the rules and process.
“If Datuk Azizul himself meets all the criteria, personally I hope he will be accepted back into the Road To Gold programme in accordance with the established criteria,” he told reporters after the unveiling of the 2026 Lee Chong Wei Cup Badminton Championship trophy in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
“Next year is a very important year for everyone, as it is the Olympic qualification year for many sports. So we hope that matters which may be more sensitive and require in-depth consideration can be discussed at the meeting,” he said.
He gave an assurance that Azizulhasni, nicknamed The Pocket Rocketman, would continue to receive support through the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) and the National Sports Council (MSN) while awaiting a decision on his RTG status.
The Malaysian National Cycling Federation was previously reported to be preparing an official application to KBS and MSN for Azizulhasni to be considered for inclusion in the RTG programme ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist, who was previously part of the RTG programme in preparation for Paris 2024, decided to continue his career as a professional cyclist last year.
The 38-year-old former world champion continued to make headlines after ending a 16-year wait to become a Commonwealth Games champion by winning gold in the men’s keirin at the Glasgow 2026 edition, which concluded earlier this month.
