SEPANG: The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) are ready to sit with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council (NSC) to discuss the prospect of the sport’s reinstatement into the high performance sports programme.
MWF president Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the federation was ready to discuss the prospect with the Ministry and the NSC to offer a clear picture of the Federation’s status and commitment to minimise doping issues which has been a thorny issue in weightlifting.
“We will have a meeting with the Ministry and NSC to hear the response and feedback of our proposal to include weightlifting in the High Performance Sports programme. We will seek a date with both the parties.
“We (MWF) have been depending on our own resources for four years now and if our success at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham is not given due consideration, we are also prepared to stand on our own feet for another four years,” he told reporters when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, here today.
On Thursday, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu when speaking of the weightlifting team’s success in Birmingham had said that the federation’s request would be considered once doping issues involving the sport are settled.
Weightlifters who competed in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games bagged two gold and a silver medal to finish as the best performing sport.
Mohamad Aniq Kasdan and Muhamad Aznil Bidin powered their way to gold medal victories in the men’s 55kg category and men’s 61kg category while Muhammad Erry Hidayat won a silver from the 73kg category.
Weightlifting, taekwondo and sepak takraw were among three sports dropped from the High Performance Sports programme in 2017 following poor performances and doping issues involving weightlifters.
“Our initial target was one gold medal but we managed to win two gold medals although the team was gathered on an adhoc basis. All credit to the boys,” he said.
In the 2018 edition, weightlifting returned with two gold and a bronze but the bronze medal was withdrawn following a doping issue. -Bernama
