00:00Malaysia's top discus thrower Irfan Shamsuddin is the first current elite athlete to speak
00:06out on the crisis gripping Malaysia athletics, warning that those with the least control over
00:12the situation could suffer the most. He said that if sanctions are imposed, Malaysia risks
00:18losing opportunities to compete on the international stage, including the SEA Games, Asian Games,
00:24and World Championships, while even Olympic qualification could also be affected.
00:30Irfan, Malaysia's top hope for a gold medal in athletics at the Asian Games in Japan from
00:36September 19th to October 4th, said that as an athlete at the peak of his performance,
00:42the concern is shared not only by him but also by his fellow athletes. He said they had sacrificed
00:48years of their lives for the chance to compete but the risk of sanctions remained beyond their control.
00:54He added that decisions by international bodies, such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport,
01:00must be respected as failure to comply could result in athletes becoming victims,
01:04even though the underlying issues stem from governance.
01:08At the same time, Irfan urged the relevant parties to resolve the crisis immediately,
01:14stressing that athletes only want a fair chance to compete and represent Malaysia on the world stage.
01:19Narva Raja, FMT.
01:22Narva Raja, FMT.
01:23For more detail about the
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