KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to send a small contingent to the Indonesia Asian Games in August following the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) decision to tighten the qualification criteria.
OCM president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria said his council decided on this as they only want quality athletes to compete in Indonesia.
“The new criteria has probably caused discontent among the national sports associations (NSAs). We, however, have explained the situation and the constraints we are facing to them," said Norza after OCM’s selection committee meeting on Monday.
"If we receive more funding we will consider those who did not qualify to travel under category A."
On Monday, OCM announced that only those who meet the top four mark of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games will qualify under the all-expenses paid category A.
Several NSAs were taken aback as the previous criterion was top six.
However, those who do not make it under category A, can travel to the Asian Games under category B, provided their respective NSAs agree to pay for their trip.
In 2014, Malaysia sent 277 athletes to Incheon where they failed to make an impact winning just five gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze.
Norza said the conservative approach taken was also meant to send a signal to NSAs that they should not be too reliant on the government for sending athletes to such games.
