KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called for calm and restraint in the wake of the national hockey team’s disappointing performance at the Olympic qualifiers in Muscat, Oman recently.
The Speedy Tigers failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after they finished last in Group A with just one point, losing 3-2 to China and 4-1 to Britain, and drawing 3-3 with Pakistan.
Hannah stressed the need for a measured response in the face of sports’ inevitable highs and lows.
She also cautioned the fans and media against advocating for managerial changes after each setback.
“We cannot follow the trend of celebrating wins and demanding change at every defeat.
“Improvement takes time; even Harimau Malaya’s coach Kim Pan-gon needed two years to deliver convincing results,” she said, citing the national football squad’s recent thrilling draw against powerhouse South Korea at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar last night.
Reiterating her commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the national hockey team, Hannah disclosed ongoing communication with the Malaysia Hockey Confederation.
“The same is true for hockey; we must wait for the steps that the national association will take but I am in communication with the president and coach.
“I always take the time to listen not only to the association but also to the coach to understand the ecosystem and what challenges they face.
“Results in sports cannot be achieved in just one month, it needs time and patience,” she told the media following a lunch meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas today.
The national hockey team’s unsuccessful bid for Olympic qualification traces back to the Hangzhou Asian Games last year where the team targeted gold for automatic qualification to Paris but could only manage a sixth-place finish.
That led to the Speedy Tigers getting the boot from the Road to Gold programme. – January 26, 2024