Govt mulling to equip sports training facilities with defibrillators

The National Sports Institute has suggested premises used as training centres for athletes, especially for badminton, be equipped with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

This was following the death of China’s badminton player Zhang Zhi Jie on the court during the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, last Sunday.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the institute had contacted her to inform her of the matter and was now looking into working with local authorities to require all training places, especially for badminton, to include having AED at the premises.

“This is important to ensure the safety of athletes when training. Actually, some local authorities have already set the conditions. That’s why there needs to be further discussion about it,” she said when met after joining the Sungai Bakap community in a Healthy Community Cycling Programme last night.

In addition to making the provision of AED facilities compulsory at the training centre, she said it was also important to ensure that there are officers who are trained to handle the device.

Meanwhile, on concerns raised over the condition of the field at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which will be used as a venue for a concert, scheduled on Sept 17, by Bruno Mars, Yeoh assured that the field would not be affected.

“For the concert event at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, I have put a moratorium that no structure can be placed on the grass.

“If the organiser wants to build a stage and so on, it has to be on the track, not on the field,” she said.

- Bernama

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