Asking for trouble

How would you feel if you have been sending several emails,letters, SMSs etc to a particular individual, body, organisation etc and no one bothers to reply?

That's what is happening between the Sports Ministry and Malaysian Athletics Body  (MAF).

MAF - or MAU (depending on which paper you read as the NSA themselves can't decide), have been sent numerous letters by the Ministry but not even a single reply.

Understandably, Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek is pist. 

"I'm annoyed by their attitude. This sort of attitude by them cannot be tolerated," he told me yesterday a Moto3 team launch yesterday. 

So how did this come about?

I asked him, his take on the MAF and their non-disclosure of the doping investigation they carried out last May to NSC.

Apparently, MAF are in a world of their own and think they are on top of everyone.

Now I know why their president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is always evasive. Eh if you can't answer a question or solve an issue, then pls STEP DOWN!

Btw Shahidan said this during the National Sports Council - MAF programme launch ceremony yesterday. "If  don't answer or respond that means I accept that we are wrong" - mind you this was referring to responding to my fellow journalists and not letters by the Ministry

Sigh!

Anyway MAF is walking a thin line as appeared on Mailsport today.

For those who have not been following this closely, my colleague Haresh Deol has it all on Foul!
Read here, here, here and here.

The Dope King?

Is Malaysian Athletics Union (MAU) deputy president Karim Ibrahim the dope king in our athletic scene?

The six that bolted from a doping test have blamed Karim, so has then national coach Harun Rasheed (still feel he should have come out way sooner to protect his integrity as coach)

Now, Sabahan Yunus Lasaleh - a member of the national 4x400m - blames Karim for him being tested positive for doping at the Sea Games, which the quartet won gold.

Yesterday was a dramatic day at the National Sports Council (NSC) - it was supposed to be a working committee meeting between MAU and NSC but athletes and coaches had other plans.

They wanted to hand a petition of MAU president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, demanding the resignation of Karim. It was signed by most athletes and coaches.

But the former Perlis MB got defensive.... sigh! and as usual calls to Karim went unanswered.

Read how the dram unfolded in Mailsport, NST and The Star.

It was fun nonetheless - but embarassing!