Youth and sports minister confirms John Beasley’s exit plan, with the coach staying on to support major competitions through December.
PUTRAJAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari today confirmed that national cycling team technical director John Beasley has expressed his intention to step down from his position in an honourable manner.
However, Mohammed Taufiq said Beasley has, at the same time, agreed to continue helming the national elite programme until the end of this year to ensure preparations for several major competitions are not disrupted, even though his original contract runs until Jan 31, 2027.
He added that the experienced coach also indicated that he would be willing to reconsider his decision if the ‘Azizulhasni Academy’ project could be realised.
“Beasley has indeed stated his intention to step down honourably, but we have requested that he remain until the completion of the major and important Games this year.
“We have the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and several other championships, and he has been handling this programme all this while,” he told reporters after the launch of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2026 at Menara KBS here today.
Commenting on the transition plan, Mohammed Taufiq said Beasley remains committed to helping ensure the continuity of the country’s cycling success through the preparation of a blueprint.
“Severa agreements have been reached, including Beasley preparing a cycling development blueprint. Beasley has also propposed the names of selected coaches who, in his view, can carry forward the legacy that has been built,” he added.
Mohammed Taufiq said that discussions between Beasley and representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and National Sports Council (NSC) showed that all parties remain committed to making athlete development the top priority.
He also stressed that his ministry is always open to receiving the views of various parties on issues involving sports associations, but every decision must be made transparently in accordance with the principles of good governance.
Previous media reports stated that Beasley was expected to step down from his post earlier, at the end of this year, despite his contract running until Jan 31, 2027, following growing frustration over several internal issues within the national cycling setup.
