KUALA LUMPUR – The International Silambam Federation (ISF) has issued a legal notice to the Malaysia Silambam Association (MSA), accusing it of misusing the ISF’s name and profiting from the International Silambam Championship held in Sepang last year without authorisation.
Headquartered in India, the ISF oversees the global development of silambam. It confirmed the legal action following concerns raised by members of the silambam community over MSA’s organisation of the 2024 championship, which allegedly proceeded without official approval from the international body.
A source told Scoop that the tournament, which received RM44,800 in funding from the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), was not sanctioned by ISF and was promoted using its name without consent.
Scoop has obtained what appears to be forged documents, including a misleading invitation letter sent to athletes in Portugal that falsely identified the signatory as the ISF secretary-general.
MSA is also alleged to have charged international participants and officials a fee of USD250 (RM1,064), while local athletes were required to pay between RM350 and RM400. Some receipts were reportedly issued without the official letterheads of either MSA or ISF.
In response, the ISF has filed a police report in India and issued a legal notice to MSA seeking USD16,000 (RM69,700) in damages. The federation has also contacted KBS, requesting a formal investigation and disciplinary action against the national body.
Speaking from Pondicherry, ISF president Kalaimamani L.K. Rajkumar called for prompt action by the authorities.
“Yes, we have filed a police report and sent a legal notice demanding compensation for the unauthorised use of our name in the tournament organised by MSA,” he said.
“We have no objection to them hosting domestic events. However, using ISF’s name without our involvement is unacceptable.
“If they wish to use our name, they must obtain prior approval. The tournament in question was not part of our official match calendar.”
Rajkumar added that ISF had reached out to KBS on multiple occasions but had yet to receive a formal response.
“MSA needs to change its behaviour. They are setting a poor example for our other affiliates.”
He further alleged that MSA had conducted unauthorised coaching programmes under the ISF name in Tamil Nadu over the past year.
“We have evidence of MSA conducting coaching courses and issuing certificates using our federation’s name without permission,” Rajkumar said.
“They have awarded certificates to participants bearing our federation’s name, which we did not authorise. Who gave MSA the right to do this?
“We have attempted to communicate with them, but they have ignored us. We will continue to pursue justice.”
The ISF, which has 10 affiliated member organisations globally, is currently registered only in India and is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Last year’s championship reportedly attracted athletes from countries including India, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and the UAE, with around 250 participants from Malaysia alone.
Follow Scoop’s coverage as we reach out to MSA for comment and publish their response in a follow-up report. – June 7, 2025