Too early to name shuttler: SBA boss
Published on: Friday, October 24, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: The people should not be too hasty in pointing fingers at anyone without having solid information about their allegation particularly on doping.Sabah Badminton Association (SBA) was commenting on a current national shuttler who is facing a doping charge.Minister of Youth and Sports Khairy Jamaluddin announced recently that an athlete was tested positive in his first sample.
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However, he refused to name the athlete involved and said that the "B Sample" was still being tested.But this did not stop the people from making speculations and unfortunately a popular Malaysian television channel reportedly named the athlete concerned in one of its newscast.Since then, the media has been naming the athlete concerned even when his name has yet to be officially released by the ministry or Malaysia's badminton governing body.To this, President of SBA, Janih Bangud (pic) , said it is simply unfair for the people to make the accusation against Malaysia number one badminton player, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, for doping.
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"No matter how close to accurate their accusation is, they should never name the person. Not until the official statement is announced," he said.After all, he said, it would be a great embarrassment to the athlete concerned and his family if it were proven that he is innocent.
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He said it is just like in the court of law, the accused is innocent until he or she is proven guilty.So, to brand the athlete as a drug cheat without any supporting evidence, he said, is not only unfair but also damaging the athlete's credibility and image.As an organisation that is 100 per cent against drug use in sports, the SBA, he said, never condone any sportsmen or sportswomen who use drugs to enhance their performance.But in this case, Janih said the doping body should be allowed to complete its urine sample testing. The B Sample, it was learnt, is being tested in a lab in Oslo, Norway, and no date has been fixed yet as to when the result would be completed.In Kuala Lumpur, former international shuttler, Sairul Amar Yakob said everyone, including the athlete concerned, should be given the benefit of the doubt until the result of the B Sample is known.In 2006, Sairul was initially tested positive for dexamethasone, a banned substance.But later he was cleared of doping when his B Sample turned out to be negative.He went on to play for Malaysia for another three years after the incident before hanging up his racquet in 2009.Janih, meanwhile, urged everyone to stop making further speculation and to wait for the official announcement."The speculations must stop because it is only causing further distress to the athlete and his family.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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