PCM TARGETS 'ZERO CLASSIFICATION' POLICY FOR PARA SUKMA 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- The Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) intends to eliminate the classification issue for athletes at the 2024 Malaysia Paralympic Games (Para SUKMA) scheduled to take place from Sept 20 to 29 in Kuching, Sarawak.

PCM president Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin said it was aimed at avoiding problems related to athletes who could not compete in the Games due to issues with their classification.

"We are aiming for a ‘zero classification’ policy in Kuching because we want to ensure that there are no athletes who cannot compete during the Games. So we want all athletes to do the classification in their respective states according to all the procedures set by the classification head of each state.

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"We don't want to waste time and money and we want to make sure that only qualified athletes go (to Para SUKMA 2024)," he said after officiating the closing ceremony of the PCM National Classification Course at the Grand Barakah Hotel here today.

He added that the classification process could raise the level of Para SUKMA to that of international sporting events, where no classification was done during the event.

Meanwhile, a total of 139 participants from all states participated in the three-day PCM National Classification Course which began on Friday.

PCM secretary-general Datuk R. Subramaniam said the course was conducted to train participants in the classification process to facilitate the process to be carried out in their respective states before Para SUKMA 2024.

"We want to have trained classifiers in each state. So the respective State Youth and Sports Department can ask for their help to facilitate the classification process because the Youth and Sports Department is responsible for preparing their respective contingents for Sarawak later," he said.

Subramaniam, who is also the chairman of the Para SUKMA Classification Committee added that the classification process could help to achieve a 100 per cent participation rate at the Games.

Meanwhile, National Youth and Sports Department (JBSN) Sports Development Division deputy director-general Abd Aziz Abd Rahman said there was no problem if an athlete wished to represent a state other than where they were born, as long as the classification process was done.

"If he or she wants to represent another state there is no issue, the important thing is that the classification has been done to reduce the risk of mistakes. If the athletes have carried out the classification at the state level, it means that those who come to Sarawak will surely compete (in the Para SUKMA Games)," he said.

-- BERNAMA