COVID-19 | All programmes planned under the Youth and Sports Ministry and its agencies should be postponed until Oct 31, said Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

However, he added that the daily training of full-time athletes under the purview of the National Sports Council (MSN) and the National Sports Association would go on as scheduled.

In a statement last night, he said the decision was made based on the latest developments surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused concern to all stakeholders, including sports fans in general.

"This has, to some extent, affected the running of the national athletes training programmes. 

However, outdoor sports programmes and events can be continued according to the SOP guidelines as well as directives from the National Security Council and the Ministry of Health.

"All athletes must also comply with movement restrictions, that is only travelling from their respective hostels to training venues including gyms or clinics, however, they are allowed to leave the hostel once a week to go to a specified location with the permission of coaches and team managers,” he said.

He said the directives and proactive measures being implemented were part of a preventive approach aimed at reducing the risk of Covid-19 infections at training centres and dormitories to enable daily training to continue in a safe and conducive environment.

Meanwhile, he said athletes, coaches and officers involved in full-time training and were staying at the MSN training centre hostel were prohibited from returning to their hometowns from Oct 12 to 31, except for emergencies.

On the other hand, he said those who had travelled to conditional Movement Control Order (MCO) areas in Sabah, Kedah, Klang, or other yellow and red zones within the last week were banned from returning to the MSN training centre hostel until Oct 31.

Reezal Merican said all athletes, coaches and sports officials in the country were asked to continue to adhere to the latest health directives and advice given by the government from time to time, as well as refrain from attending programmes involving large crowds.

The number of daily new Covid-19 infections nationwide began swelling to triple digits on Oct 1 and peaked at 691 last Tuesday. 

Yesterday, 354 new cases were reported as well as three deaths bringing the national death toll to 155 since the pandemic reached our shores earlier this year.

While a bulk of the infections have been concentrated in Sabah and Kedah, clusters have also cropped up in other states, some sparked by those returning from Sabah.

- Bernama

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