A series of workshops with National Sports Associations will be held to determine the qualification process for the 2021 SEA Games.
The decision was taken at the OCM Executive Board meeting held in Tuesday, 18 August 2020 chaired by President Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria.
The selection process, with an inclination towards younger Athletes was first mooted by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican at a dialogue with National Sports Association prior to the Council meeting held on 18 July.
The Minister had said that preference should be given to younger athletes as opposed to seasoned athletes to provide them a platform for exposure.
Hence OCM will hold one-on-one workshops with the National Sports Associations to get their feedback on the matter.
“We will look in depth on the criteria of the athletes in order to select the best ones for both,” said Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Norza Zakaria.
In addition the meeting received updates from its various committees as well as a secretariat report from the Secretary General Dato’ Mohd Nazifuddin.
In wake of some National Sports Associations not being represented by key officials in OCM meetings, the Executive Board decided that in future only principal office bearers or top management officers could attend such meetings.
“The Board agreed that the delegate from the Ordinary / Associate Member must be either an elected official of the NSA or a member of the NSA’s top management for future Council meetings to ensure due respect to the OCM,” said Dato’ Mohd Nazifuddin.
The Board agreed to nominate Dr. SS Cheema to the WADA Standing Committee. Prior to this former OCM Deputy President Tan Sri M. Jegathesan was on the committee but opted to retire.
The effect of the Covid19 pandemic continued to hamper the organisation upcoming multi sports events continues to be hampered as the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya and the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya had to be moved to next year.
“Due to the current situation, the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya which was scheduled to be held at the end of the year will be rescheduled to 2 – 10 April 2021 while the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya will be moved to 10 – 19 September 2021”
“In addition to that, the organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games informed us that there will be no longer be a single centralized Games Village as the construction of the facility had been impacted by the Covid19 pandemic” added Dato’ Mohd Nazifuddin.
Also decided was the appointment of Nicholas Chan as the National Olympic Academy (NOA), replacing Prof. Dato’ Dr. Shamala Subramaniam.
The representative from the Ministry of Youth and Sports informed the meeting that the ministry had appointed three Executive Board Members of the OCM, namely Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Norza Zakaria, Dato’ Seri Azim Zabidi and Dato’ Mohd Nazifuddin as the Members of the Council of National Sports Council (NSC) for the period of 10th July 2020 to 30th April 2022.
Immediate after the Meeting, the Management of OCM coordinated a simple celebration for Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, who had been bestowed the Darjah Kebasaran Panglima Setia Mahkota (P.S.M.) by the Yang di-Petuan Agong, on Monday, 17 August 2020.
The Executive Board meeting was wrapped up with a tour of Hotel Olympic Malaysia.
Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria together with the other Executive Board Members were taken on a tour and lunch hosted by the hotel management.
“I hope that the NSAs and other stakeholders can support the “new” Hotel Olympic Malaysia as it has been refurbished to a new look with improved facilities” said Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria.
