KUALA LUMPUR – Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin admits that football has little hope of qualifying for the Olympics, citing the challenging path the team faces at the Under-23 Asian Cup next month.
This marks a shift from last November, when he challenged Juan Garrido Torres’ squad to end the country’s 43-year Olympic qualification drought.
However, upon reflection, Hamidin recognises the challenge of the 3+1 slots available for Paris, especially with strong Asian teams like Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia likely to secure those spots.
Even if the team finishes fourth in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, they will still have a chance for Paris but would need to go through a playoff with an African team.
“There’s not much hope for football to qualify for the Olympics, but sports like table tennis, golf, and a few others could have a shot based on their performance,” Hamidin said.
“Football is among those with a chance, but as FAM president, I see Olympic qualification for the Under-23 squad as similar to entering the World Cup as it’s the highest level.
“Our qualification format is 3+1, with three countries directly qualifying and the fourth entering a playoff against an African team.
“In my view, Japan, Korea, and Saudi Arabia are likely to take those three slots. Their players, with about nine to 10 having played in the World Cup, have a high level of quality.
“To reach the Olympics, it’ll be step by step for us. Even getting to the quarter-finals would be a good achievement,” said Hamidin.
In Doha, Malaysia will face Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Kuwait in Group D.
The last time Malaysia’s national football squad made it to the Olympics was in the 1980 Moscow Games.
However, the country chose to boycott that event after the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. – 18 March 2024