00:00Former national athlete Marina Chin has clarified that recipients of the National Sports Award during her era were not allowed to accept direct financial rewards in order to protect their amateur status.
00:14Marina, named national sportswoman in 1976 and 1977, said the policy prohibited amateur athletes from receiving any direct cash payments as this could cost them their amateur status and eligibility for competitions.
00:28She said financial allocations were instead channeled through national associations to support talent development, training and competition participation.
00:39Chin added that this protocol was fully understood and never questioned by athletes at the time.
00:45She also emphasized that the matter has no bearing on the current youth and sports ministry as it relates to policies and practices in the past.
00:53Chin urged the National Sports Council and relevant sports associations to publish official records of how financial incentives under the National Sports Awards were dispersed since the 1960s, adding that any shortfalls or legitimate claims should be corrected honourably.
01:09Her comments come after an FMT report revealed that at least 10 top Malaysian athletes, including hockey legend Emma Hindren, bowling great JB Koo, badminton star Sylvia Ng and nine athletics icons, never received the RM5,000 cash prize that came with the National Sportsman and Sportswoman Award between 1966 and 1982.
01:31Natasha Beast, FMT.
Comments