West Asia Conflict: OCM To Decide Asian Games Selection – CDM

PETALING JAYA, April 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s chef de mission (CDM) to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan, has left it to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to decide whether to tighten athlete selection for the Games scheduled from Sept 19 to Oct 4.

Mohd Sumali said any further action should ideally be decided by the OCM and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as he did not rule out the possibility of rising participation costs for the national contingent to the quadrennial Games due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

“We leave it to the OCM; they may reduce the number of athletes and only send those who can truly deliver medals or have a strong chance of winning medals.

“But for now, I do not have further information. It depends on how far this crisis affects our economy,” he told reporters after the first Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) meeting (2025-2027) here today.

When asked whether there was an alternative plan if the current situation in West Asia persists, he said the matter has yet to be formally discussed.

However, Mohd Sumali said he had recently held a brief discussion with OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria on the impact of the conflict on the national contingent for the 2026 Asian Games.

“We are waiting for the green light from Mohamad Norza himself and his discussions with Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari. As CDM, I do not want to issue statements ahead of them,” he said.

-- BERNAMA