KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Starting Jan 4, approximately 700 national athletes can finally breathe a sigh of relief when they can resume their training in full force and not just a quarantine-based training.
National Sports Council (NSC) Athlete Division director Jefri Ngadirin, however, stressed that all athletes were still required to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) to curb the spread of COVID-19.
These national athletes comprise those in the podium and back-up programmes, including para-athletes.
Those under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) areas in the Klang Valley, who had undergone quarantine-based training since October, had also been given leave from Thursday to Sunday (Jan 3) to prepare for the full training.
“Once they checked in at the training centre on Jan 3, we will carry out COVID-19 test to see whether they have been complying to the SOP or not during their leave. Only after that, they can attend full training and no more quarantine-based,” he told Bernama when contacted.
Prior to this, Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the reopening of the sports and recreational sectors starting Jan 1, except in the areas currently under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).
Meanwhile, Jefri said the NSC will organise a workshop with national sports associations in late January to discuss plans and preparations for major tournaments such as the Olympics, Paralympics and SEA Games in 2021, followed by Sukma, Commonwealth Games and Asia Games in 2022.
He said, at the moment, the NSC was still waiting for the tournament schedule to be determined by the international sports association as the international tournaments are expected to be revived in stages in 2021 with the discovery of COVID-19 vaccines.
Source: BERNAMA