THE latest official attire for the national contingent to various sporting events has been developed with consideration of modern design concepts, despite facing certain constraints, said Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Secretary-General, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib.
He said that the selection of the new official attire was made after discussions between OCM and sponsors, taking into account several factors including costs.
“We are subject to what the sponsors can provide under certain limitations and it also depends on the budget. If we want the best or premium quality, cost becomes a factor for the sponsors to consider.
“This is not an allocation from the government or money from anyone but a contribution from the sponsors,“ he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Mohd Nazifuddin added that the new design will be used for the first time during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and OCM will gather feedback from stakeholders, athletes and sports officials regarding their reactions to the attire.
“For now, this official attire will be used by the contingent to Paris but the attire for the opening ceremony will be different. This official attire is specifically for use during the Games while traveling to competition venues,“ he said.
Earlier today, Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh clarified in a tweet that the new official attire for the national contingent launched yesterday is outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) and the National Sports Council (MSN).
“The official attire for Malaysia’s contingent to various sporting events falls under the responsibility of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM). This is a result of collaboration between Yonex and OCM and it is outside the jurisdiction of KBS and MSN,“ wrote Hannah.
Yesterday, the official attire for the national contingent to various sporting events, including collared shirts, t-shirts, and jackets, was introduced during the Olympic Day celebration at a shopping centre here.
However, many sports enthusiasts on social media expressed dissatisfaction with the design, claiming it was somewhat outdated and lacked inspiration compared to previous official attire worn by the national contingent.
The Paris Olympic Games is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11.
