Chance for OCM to show its fangs

THOSE against the Sports Development Act (1997) and its agent, the Sports Commissioner, have got their way.

The Sports Commissioner's Office will no longer be an avenue for them to refer disputes to and, surely, there will be much rejoicing by some sports officials.

They will even claim that in backing down, Sports Commissioner Tan Sri Elyas Omar has taken the easy way and associations can go back to as they were prior to the Act coming into being. Government funding, however, must not stop.

Such has the venom directed at Elyas been that some have even called for the Sports Commissioner's post to be done away with.

Elyas has had enough, especially with decisions now being challenged in court but the fact of the matter is that there are two reasons for this.
One has certainly got to do with the fact that the Sports Development Act is weak and it needs to be amended.

While there are many who feel there shouldn't be an Act for sports in the first place, it is an undisputable fact that Malaysia needs it given the amount of money the government spends on sports.

There has to be some form of check and balance to how public funds are utilised by associations as well as check the abuses of office bearers.

Another weakness in the Sports Commissioner's Office has to be its officials.

For one, the office is under-staffed and this has to be addressed for if there is one thing Elyas has achieved in his three years as Sports Commissioner, it is to reveal just how much dirt associations have swept under the carpet.

Somebody has to clean this up and Elyas, despite all his doubters, tried but to no avail.

As for the Olympic Council of Malaysia, some of whose office bearers have been vocal, albeit behind closed doors, in their opposition to Elyas and the Sports Development Act, this is the chance to show just what it can do.

OCM is perceived as a toothless tiger but now that it has been given a first hand chance at helping its affiliates settle disputes, it must solve them without fear or favour.

l THE Under-19 ICC Cricket World Cup came to an end on Sunday with India's juniors showing that the country's future in the sport is rosy.

For Malaysia, besides the triumph over Test-playing Zimbabwe, the tournament came to the expected early end but, hopefully, the experience gained will not go to waste.

What is expected of the Malaysian Cricket Association is a detailed plan on where the sport is heading after this.

We don't want a repeat of the 1997 Football World Youth Cup squad which promised so much but delivered hardly anything after rubbing shoulders with players who are still gracing the game all over the world

NST