KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) has been advised to focus on grassroots development and anti-doping education rather than spending hundreds of thousands to appeal against its suspension by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) medical and anti-doping committee chairman Datuk Dr SS Cheema said with no major multisports games scheduled till the end of the suspension period in April 2021, it will be wasteful to appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“The appeal is very expensive; MWF had better think twice before appealing because the Asian and Commonwealth Games will be hosted in 2022, while the SEA Games are scheduled at the end of 2021.
“It is wiser to spend the money on creating awareness to eradicate the issue. It will be fruitful to bring the case to the CAS only if the chances of winning are high,” the long-time sports administrator said when contacted by Bernama today.
The IWF suspended MWF from taking part in any of its activities for a year from April 1, 2020 until April 1, 2021, as well as barred all Malaysian weightlifters from competing in next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
It also barred Malaysians from taking part in any IWF-sponsored championships and programmes for five months until Sept 1, 2020 following several doping cases involving national weightlifters in 2018.
IWF said the one-year suspension will be reviewed and might be lifted as early as Oct 1, if MWF can demonstrate it has met pre-defined criteria.
To date, none of the Malaysian weightlifters have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, but 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games champion Muhammad Aznil Bidin’s hopes to qualify have now been dashed by the suspension.
MWF is in the midst of getting additional information as well as studying the effects and consequences before deciding whether to bring the case to CAS.
Dr Cheema said doping has now spread to the grassroots level and heavier punishment rather than just World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) sanctions should be meted out to offenders.
“It is very miserable to see even Sukma (Malaysian Games) athletes are tested positive; it means the anti-doping awareness and education did not reach the ground. This has to stop somewhere for the sake of the national sports associations and the country.
“Heavier punishment, over and above the Wada sanctions, must be handed out. For example, not selecting them in the team for any competitions to send a strong signal to other young athletes. But not to forget the root of this problem, the suppliers.
“The athletes (who tested positive) must cooperate fully in the hearing and the panel must investigate the suppliers thoroughly. If we let off the suppliers, they will continue to spoil the other athletes and sports,” he added. — Bernama
