Once the contingent is selected, it is the responsibility of the Chef-De-Mission, Datuk Dr. Ramlan Aziz and the people at Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to make sure that travel and other arrangements for athletes and teams are done properly. Chances are both parties would say that this is a FAM matter.
"There was a delay in flight arrangement, we wrote to the necessary agencies and approval was given 10 days ago, but it was unfortunate that this has happened." said an official.
The team, coached by K.Rajagopal is scheduled to take on Timor Leste on Wednesday in the opening match of the SEA Games soccer competition.
The team is travelling in a private chartered flight because it is placed in category B; which means they will pay for their (maybe in advance) for their expenses, which include travel and lodging. Should they win a gold medal, they will be reimbursed in full.
They will make yet another journey to RMAF Subang today and one can only hope that the plane can take off.
Uncle Joe, Let's go through the procedure carefully. Once the Team has been selected to go to Laos, FAM will then hand over the list of names to OCM. OCM will then tell FAM that you chaps are not a medal prospect and you are placed in category B. When you are in Cat B, all expenses will be borne by you and you will be reimbursed if you bring back a Gold medal.
ReplyDeleteFAM must have agreed to the arrangements, OCM must then submit the entry forms of the Malaysian Team including their coaches and officials. OCM must then sign the form and then send it to Laos. I trust this have been done.
Under normal circustances OCM would have made arrangement with an airlines and must have quoted a price to bring the Team over. FAM must have said look with that many of us plus our reserves and hanger on, it is better to Charter our own flight to Laos. It is so much cheaper. OCM must have agreed to this arrangement and I suppose details of the ETA must have been given to Laos to fetch the players and officials.
That would be the true scenario.
It is not fair in this case to blame OCM or the Chef de Mission Datuk Dr. Ramlan Aziz.
You have to understand that those who goes under Cat.B are 2nd Class players. These are dead wood with no medal prospect in the eyes of OCM, but then OCM agrees to reimburse them should they perform a miracle by bring back a gold.
Cat.B will be allowed to go, for the Games for the sake of participation provided always they are not an embarassment to the country.
So in this case Uncle Joe, I think FAM are to be blame by booking with a bucket airlines.