Malaysia : Put the athletes first

Two promising shuttlers quit BJSS to pursue their badminton dream. What a needless decision – if only the powers that be think of the athletes’ interests rather than self glory.

IT was a sad day when young Soong Joo Vern and Darren Isaac Devadass packed their bags and left the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) to pursue their badminton ambitions.

Did we miss something here? Isn’t the BJSS supposedly the custodian of aspiring sportsmen and sportswomen? There to provide talented students with the best of both worlds – excellence in studies and sports. So what went wrong?

Joo Vern and Issac felt that their interests had been overlooked, compromised by other priorities which superceded their own. They strongly felt that BJSS’ insistence that they forego the Asian Junior Championships for the Asean Schools meet was not to their advantage.

After all, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that competing at the Asian level is a greater, more compelling, challenge than an Asean schools meet. So what was the rationale behind BJSS’ decision?

The two boys, who had been selected by the BA of Malaysia to play in the Asian tournament, cannot be faulted for feeling deprived. They are now making alternative arrangements as far as their studies are concerned – just months before the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams.

So who decides what is important for an aspiring athlete? Is it the athlete, the parents, the school, the state, the ministry or the sports association? How do we know that a decision is not made out of self-interest, personal glory or to improving KPIs.

Joo Vern and Darren did not have much choice as the school insisted that they participate in the Asean Schools tourney from June 28-July 6 in Indonesia while the boys had been preparing for the Asian Championships in South Korea from June 30-July 7.

It’s unfortunate that the two events clash but it’s a no-brainer as to which is the more important tournament.

The two 17-year-olds will certainly find the Under-19 Asian Juniors more challenging but isn’t that what sports is all about? Striving harder, faster, higher and stronger. Reaching for new heights and challenges rather than settling for less on their chosen journey to become sports stars.
It’s certainly not about settling for less.

BJSS, as a centre for sporting excellence, should know this better than most. After all, these boys are doing the nation proud, never mind the school. Isn’t that what BJSS is there for? Produce the nation’s sports stars of the future.

BAM had requested BJSS to make an exception in the case of Joo Vern, Darren and Ho Yen Mei so that they could compete in the Asian meet.

Most folk would think that to be a reasonable request – Asia being much bigger, more prominent and important than Asean as the school’s geography teachers could have explained to the powers that be.
BJSS refused, saying categorically that it was a matter of policy that the schools meet took precedence and the students had no other choice. Go figure that out if you can.


Joo Vern and Isaac decided it was best that they left while Yen Mei opted to abide by BJSS’ decision and compete in the Asean schools meet.

Joo Vern, Darren and Yen Mei are not the only juniors facing the predicament of being pawns in the power play of self-interest.

States are holding their athletes to ransom by insisting that they compete under their banners in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Pahang from July 7-16 despite several of them qualifying for international
meets being held at the same time.

All this because the states, associations and politicians are looking for personal glory that the gold culled by their athletes at Sukma will bring them.

Some have gone to the extent of “punishing” the athletes by making sure that they do not compete for any other team if they do not represent them.

Kuala Lumpur long jumper Noor Shahidatun Nadia Mohd Zuki set her personal best jump of 12.99m during the FT All-Comers in March to qualify for the 14th edition of the World Junior Championships in Barcelona from July 10-15. And she has to pick between Sukma and the world junior meet.


It is obvious that the world junior meet will give her the much needed exposure, not Sukma. She is not alone.

Sadly, Malaysian sports seem to be led by misguided souls with personal agendas. Officials or authorities focused on short term goals and not the welfare of the athletes.

Is Sukma important for the sta-tes? Yes. Is the Asean Schools meet important for BJSS and the Edu-cation Ministry? Yes. Is the Asian Junior championships important for BAM and the nation? Yes.


But is anyone asking what is important for the athletes? Sadly, no.

The Sports Ministry and Education Ministry should put the athletes before themselves. States and National Sports Associations should prioritise the interest of their athletes and not glorify in their success so that they can demand more funding.

It takes sacrifice by all parties. expecially the ones with the authority, to make it work. Otherwise, it is a sheer abuse of power – a betrayal of trust.


By Rajes Paul, courtesy of The Star