SEA GAMES: Bittersweet

MAAU’s lack of foresight overshadows 4x400m quartet’s fairytale feat

Muhammad Yunus Lasaleh (front), Schzuan Ahmad Rosely, S. Kannathasan (inset top) and P. Yuvaraaj (inset bottom) stunned favourites Thailand to win the 4x400m gold.

They came, they saw, they conquered and left without their gold medals. This was the bittersweet episode of the men's 4x400m quartet of S. Kannathasan, P. Yuvaraaj, Schzuan Ahmad Rosely and Muhammad Yunus Lasaleh, who surprised many by winning gold and then not being able to receive their gold medals, no thanks to the Malaysia AAU (MAAU) management, which many have said must undergo major changes.


The quartet were initially dropped from the Games contingent, but after the persistence of their coach K. Jayabalan, were then forced to undergo trials by MAAU two weeks before the Games. Put on a flight on the eve of their event on Nov 13, they stunned favourites Thailand to win the event but left Palembang a day before the medal presentation.

The fact that MAAU had advised to put them on a return flight the day after their event is clear indication that the parent body never expected the quartet to finish among the medallists.

This showed the lack of sensitivity and respect the MAAU had for its athletes.

What irked many the most was that many MAAU officials were still around several days after the athletics programme closed on Wednesday but they couldn't accommodate the four runners to remain.

MAAU president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is known to be generous in giving monetary awards to athletes, so he could have got Kannathasan, Yuvaraaj, Schzuan and Yunus new return tickets when the attempt to change the initial flight was unsuccessful.

It would have cost Shahidan about RM2,000 and the runners would have had the thrill of attending the medal presentation ceremony, not to mention hearing the strains of Negaraku fill the stadium.

Hurdler Noraseela Khalid picked the right time to blast MAAU and asked Shahidan to put the house in order before athletics dies a natural death.

If Shahidan fails to act and allow the MAAU circus to go on, he is doing a great injustice to a sport which has hardly seen any new runners emerge of late and the existing ones going from bad to worse.

It was only the efforts of the injured trio Noraseela (women's 400m hurdles), Tan Song Hwa (women's hammer) and Lee Hup Wei (men's high jump) and pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu, who was plagued with poor performances coming to Palembang, which saved Malaysia the blushes. But it was the 4x400m quartet who stole the thunder.

Lo Choon Sieng, 26, continued Malaysia's dominance in the men's 20km walk and he is good for another 10 years as there aren't any quality walkers coming through the ranks.

Malaysia's performance in track events was pathetic with Noraseela the only winner. Malaysia's performance in distance events was embarrassing.

However, MAAU officials don't seem bothered about the future of athletics but, nevertheless, they rejoiced in Palembang when track and field achieved its six-gold target, only made possible by the surprise win of the 4x400m quartet.

Shahidan may not be fully responsible for what's been happening within MAAU but as its president, he must take responsibility and be accountable for the association's actions.

If Shahidan refuses to make the changes, he must step aside and allow another leader, who is brave enough, to change the face of MAAU for the better. It's long overdue.

Read more: SEA GAMES: Bittersweet - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-bittersweet-1.9291#ixzz1ePO73Jmc