IT began with a conversation — one that would shape how I saw my role not just as a sports journalist, but as part of an ecosystem that owes athletes more than applause.
When I first spoke to Sarina Sundara Rajah around 2021, she had only just begun advocating for what she called a “Safe Sport Act” — a legal framework to protect athletes from abuse, harassment, and misconduct.
A former national gymnast, Sarina shared how she experienced harassment as a young athlete, but lacked the language or awareness to recognise it, let alone report it. That conversation stayed with me.
She wasn’t alone. Many athletes knew something felt wrong, but the system — while not entirely absent — lacked the strict and comprehensive mechanisms needed to validate their experiences and protect them.
Sarina eventually channelled those experiences into advocacy, founding Safe Sport Malaysia to push for policies that prioritise athlete safety and wellbeing. I was with The Vibes at the time, and I knew this was more than a sports story — it was a national one.
Fast forward to today. I’m now with Scoop and still following the story.
What began as one woman’s mission is now a national conversation — and I’m proud to have helped document it from the start.
Since then, we’ve seen then Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu express intent to table a Safe Sport Act. His successor Hannah Yeoh took it further, launching the Safe Sport Code of Conduct — a set of guidelines aimed at governing athlete safety across sporting bodies.
Just recently, former national bowler Datuk Shalin Zulkifli — now a key figure at the National Sports Council — told Scoop how the code is being actively enforced. Sports bodies are being guided on implementation; complaints are being taken seriously; education is ongoing.
“We want athletes and everyone in sport to feel protected, not silenced,” Shalin said.
As a journalist, I view this progress with cautious optimism. Because laws and codes alone are not enough. They need public awareness, institutional will, and sustained media scrutiny to be effective.
That’s why I believe journalism still has a critical role — as witness, amplifier, and accountability mechanism.
We can’t just move on after the headlines fade. Continued reporting keeps the pressure alive. It reminds sports administrators that their duty of care doesn’t end with medals, and it creates space for athletes, coaches, and officials to focus on performance — not survival.
Personally, I owe a great deal to my then editor, T. Vignesh — now my executive editor at Scoop — who trusted me to pursue the story when it was still under the radar. It’s a privilege not every reporter gets, and I’m grateful it allowed me to be part of something with real impact.
This August 8 marks World Safe Sport Day — a global initiative affirming every athlete’s right to participate in sport free from abuse. It’s a timely reminder that athlete safety isn’t just a domestic concern; it’s a shared international responsibility.
Malaysia has made visible strides, but there’s still more to be done. Sarina and her team at Safe Sport Malaysia continue pushing for structural change, and I hope to see their advocacy bear fruit in the form of legislation soon.
We often say sport unites the nation. But to truly live up to that, we must ensure it is safe for all — from grassroots to elite levels.
As someone who’s had the honour of helping bring this issue to light, I’ll keep doing my part. And I hope the rest of the sports community — including my fellow journalists — will too. — August 8, 2025
Julie Jalaluddin is the assistant news editor at Scoop