Sports Bodies To Decide On Athletes For Laos Games

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- National sports bodies will be given the power to decide whether to send elite athletes or the second echelons to compete in the South-east Asia Games (SEA Games) in Laos in December.

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim said the national sports bodies had been given the trust to make the decision as they had more wisdom in determining suitable athletes to compete in the championship.

"The athletes' level of performance for each event differ and there are national sports associations that have second echelon athletes who are good and have the potentials to be featured at that level," he told reporters after opening the athletes gathering for the 2010 Challenge Programme, here Thursday.

Razali said the second echelon athletes should capitalise on this opportunity if they aspired to reach a higher level.

Meanwhile, he said the Youth and Sports Ministry was not setting any medal target for the Laos SEA Games because Malaysia had indirectly lost half of the gold medals when the host country decided to reduce the number of events for competition.

For the record, at the Korat SEA Games in Thailand two years ago, Malaysia won 68 gold, 52 silver and 96 bronze medals.

-- BERNAMA