KUALA LUMPUR — The National Sports Council (NSC) has asked Datuk Azizulhasni Awang to submit a detailed plan for his Los Angeles 2028 Olympic campaign, including his training programme, performance targets and budget, before funding can be processed.
In an email sent to the five-time Olympian on Aug 27, the NSC requested a comprehensive proposal setting out his training and competition schedule, performance objectives, Olympic qualification pathway and projected expenditure.
The request followed a meeting on Aug 13 involving Azizulhasni, Road to Gold programme head Akmal Ahmad Zainuddin, Podium programme head Halif Asro Ramzi Sulaiman and National Sports Institute (NSI) sports science branch head Izham Mohamad.
During the meeting, Azizulhasni informed the council that he had already begun preparations for LA 2028, although his overall programme had yet to be finalised. He also outlined several requirements he considered necessary to sustain his Olympic campaign.
These included additional sports science and medical support, continued access to NSC and NSI facilities, as well as a hybrid training programme divided between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne.
The NSC said it had agreed to all of Azizulhasni’s requests, including several additional requirements, with the meeting minutes subsequently submitted to the council’s top management and the Youth and Sports Ministry.
“Most importantly, the meeting further reinforced support for Azizulhasni, and the proposal to grant him funding will continue as per previous practice,” the council said in a statement today.
The NSC also backed Azizulhasni’s participation in major competitions, including the Asian Track Cycling Championships and World Track Cycling Championships, saying these would be “fully covered by NSC as a team effort”.
However, the council said a formal proposal from the 38-year-old rider was needed before the funding process could move forward.
“Upon receiving the response from Datuk Azizulhasni, NSC will be able to execute the necessary steps and processes to secure the allocation” throughout his Olympic qualification campaign, it said.
In its Aug 27 email, the NSC asked Azizulhasni to submit a detailed breakdown of his “training and competition plan leading up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games”, along with his performance targets, key performance indicators and Olympic qualification pathway.
The proposal must also explain how his training will be divided between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne, and detail his coaching and support team requirements, sports science and medical needs, facilities, equipment and logistical arrangements.
He has also been asked to provide annual expenditure estimates covering the entire programme.
Government support for Azizulhasni’s LA 2028 ambitions was further reinforced at the NSC Management Board meeting on Aug 13, chaired by Youth and Sports Minister Dr Taufiq Johari.
According to the NSC, Taufiq raised the cyclist’s plans and requirements during the meeting, with all board members approving the matter, effectively giving the proposed Olympic campaign government backing in principle.
The council had also discussed the Olympic qualification pathway for national cyclists with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) on July 7, including Azizulhasni’s role as Malaysia’s main rider in accumulating qualification points.
The Dungun-born cyclist is now preparing for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from Sept 19 to Oct 4, before competing at the World Championships in Shanghai from Oct 14 to 18, which will mark the start of the LA 2028 Olympic qualification period.
The latest development comes amid growing uncertainty over Azizulhasni’s future in elite cycling, with the veteran having publicly sought greater clarity from the country’s sports authorities.
In a lengthy statement posted on Instagram on Friday, Azizulhasni said he was prepared to challenge those in charge of Malaysian sport over what he described as an unclear response regarding his future.
He had previously warned that he could withdraw from upcoming international competitions and the LA 2028 Olympics altogether if the authorities failed to provide a firm commitment over his future.
For Azizulhasni, the question is no longer simply whether he wants to continue competing.
Instead, the five-time Olympian wants to know whether the government still considers his experience and contribution essential to Malaysia’s Olympic ambitions. – August 29, 2026