DATUK Pandelela Rinong is a national hero. Full stop.
She has brought glory to the nation by being the first Malaysian female athlete to win an Olympic medal as well as the first in any sport other than badminton.
She won the bronze in the 10m platform in the 2012 Olympics and silver in the 10m synchronised platform with Cheong Jun Hoong in the 2016 Games.
However, her failure to qualify for the upcoming Paris Olympics has resulted in the Sarawak native receiving some heavy criticism from the Malaysian Aquatics Association’s (MAA) honorary secretary Andy Low.
In a stinging rebuke, Low claims that certain athletes did not want to step aside despite failing to meet the stated KPIs (key performance indicators). Without naming names, he further claimed that these individuals were “unprofessional” and were full of excuses when they fail to meet their targets.
It has been insinuated that Low felt slighted by the 31-year-old diver’s previous statement that she will only step aside when the next batch of divers is up to scratch, suggesting the association has failed to produce athletes worthy of becoming future champions.
The “rift” has been splashed all over social and mainstream media. Here are some comments from the Kisah Jalanan Dotcom Facebook site.
The responses have been overwhelmingly in support of the national diver with many decrying the “armchair critic”.
Many were unhappy at the apparent ungratefulness of Low and the MAA for an athlete who has brought such glory to the Jalur Gemilang.
More than a few called for a change of the honorary secretary.
Some also asked that Low’s KPIs be put under review.
A small minority echoed Low’s views and suggested that Pandelela step aside for younger talent to shine.
But overall, the support seems to be overwhelmingly in favour of the national diver with the Sarawak Youth and Sports Minister saying the scathing attack was uncalled for. “It’s pure sarcasm and not very nice. I’m quite shocked (at what he said),” noted Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah.
While there may be an element of truth in Low’s claim of “unprofessionalism” and that perhaps Pandelela was no longer competitive due to her age, there have surely been other ways to raise the issue.
Some tact from a national association office bearer should have been the order of the day, especially when it concerns an athlete who has sacrificed so much to bring sporting glory to the nation. Or is that too much to ask? – Feb 16, 2024
Main pic credit: Borak Viral
