KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Athletics (MA) will conduct a comprehensive post-mortem of the national athletics squad’s disappointing campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with the entire programme set to come under scrutiny.
MA secretary-general Nurhayati Karim said the review would be conducted jointly with the National Sports Institute (NSI) and National Sports Council (NSC), with input also sought from strategic partners and an independent panel.
She said the post-mortem would be among MA’s immediate measures to strengthen preparations for next year’s SEA Games while laying the foundation for a longer-term development plan for Malaysian athletics.
“We are not looking to point fingers at anyone. This is a burden that needs to be shared, and we have to look at the situation as a whole.
“The training programme, competition exposure and various other components will be assessed to identify the gaps that need to be addressed and improved,” she told Scoop when contacted.
Malaysia returned from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games with two bronze medals in athletics, won by Muhammad Azeem Fahmi in the men’s 100m and Shereen Samson Vallabouy in the women’s 400m.
However, neither athlete was able to replicate that success in Aichi-Nagoya, contributing to Malaysia’s athletics squad returning from the Games without a medal.
Azeem, who suffered an injury during the men’s 100m final, was forced to finish last in the race, while Shereen failed to progress beyond the first round of the women’s 400m.
Nurhayati said MA would also invite RISE (Reform in Sport & Excellence), an advocacy group involving former and current national athletes, to participate in the review process.
She said bringing together the views of athletes, administrators, sports science experts and other stakeholders would be important in identifying weaknesses within the existing system.
“Input from all parties involved is important to ensure that every gap is identified before we formulate the necessary action plan,” she said.
The review is expected to help MA identify areas requiring immediate intervention while ensuring the national athletics programme is better prepared for future major competitions. – October 6, 2026