Sometime ago the forces in Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) pushed through some ammendments to its constitution, to comply with the requirements of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It was pushed through and expressly approved by the Sports Commissioners just days before the last AGM.
Sounds ok, in fact very noble, right. But, have been asking and lately more loudly, why the part where it is stated that office bearers can hold office till the age of 70 (or something to that effect) was not part of the ammendments. Well, I don't know. Maybe my friend the Loose Cannon and his favourite Tan Sri can shed some light into this matter.
To be fair, probably this is a non issue amids pressing things around us such as how to stop the rot in sports.
Meanwhile, OCM Deputy president Datuk Dr M.Jegathesan was conferred the Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) award which carries the 'Tan Sri' title in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's birthday Saturday.
Dr Jegathesan, 67, in his heyday as an athlete in the 1960s was dubbed the "Flying Doctor", and is the holder of the national 200m sprint record till today.
He clocked 20.93 seconds in the event at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and prior to that was named Sportsman of the Year in 1966 after winning three gold medals at the Asian Games in Bangkok, the same year.
Dr Jegathesan is also the chairman of ADAMAS, the anti-doping body for Malaysian sportspersons, Commonwealth Games Foundation (CGF) medical advisor, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) medical commission chairman, and a member of the International Olympic Council's medical commission.
Happy weekend folks.
Dear Joe,
ReplyDeleteWhich Tan Sri are you referring to?
I have quite a number of Tan Sris that I am fond of, namely Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar, Tan Sri Darshan Singh, Tan Sri p. Alagendra and of course Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan. I like them because whatever I've written about them, be they in positive light or on a negative note, they remain cordial and professional with me. And of course we have spoken on various issues upfront. Can you be more specific so that I can respond?
Regards
Loose cannon
Uncle Joe, Have you glean through the OCM constitution amendments? The part of retirement age is not my immediate concern, reading it the Board of OCM now have unfettered powers on bodies under their jurisdiction. They are so powerful and independent that no legal or political interference can even touch them provided it is in the name of complying with the "Olympic Charter".(See 5.11). Olympic Charter? It is as wide as the Straits of Malacca and any question you can talk about in Sports involves the Olympic Charter.
ReplyDeleteYou want to talk about age of retirement of its board members? Look at the Indian Olympic Association when the Government want to restrict the Terms of Service to 12 years of some of the aging members. They resisted it in the name of going against the Olympic Charter. Get my drift? Now the Board of OCM are the Untouchable - political or legal cannot touch them. OCM have absolute powers.
They are beyond the control of the Ministry of Youth & Sports (a political position) and I dare say they can tell the Sports Commissioner that I can over ride the Sports Development Act. So what are you going to do about it? I have the Olympic Charter immunity.
The Sports Commissioner have seen how the Secretary General had demonstarted his authority many times and yet got away scot free. No examples here. But the SC knows what I am talking about.
Look at the membership article, they have 3 classes the Honarary, Associate & Ordinary. Forget the Honarary membership. Look at 7.6 and 7.7. Now let me ask you why do you need a provision of an Associate member who is Not recognised by the International Federation existing side by side of an Ordinary member recognised by the IF? Note an "Associate member may or may not be affilaited to the International Federation".
This must have stem from the Taekwando episode, where if the body of the IF is naughty, OCM can always get the Assocate member to run the sport. Now what you think will happen? Can you imagine the confusion it will cause, Taekwando Team by the NSA recognised by the IF is pushed aside in favour of the Associate member. OCM calls it the Olympic Team! It has happened in so many sports and now they make it kosher to do it.
Uncle Joe there are many other provisions that call for examination I shall call this Part 1.
Actually, why like that Ah! As far as Malaysian sports is concern, all can bungkus. Hello Loose Canon, you know which Tan Sri la, the President of OCM la.
ReplyDeleteStill want to ask your fren the Sec Gen , what are his plans for 2011. He still looking at you to take him as mentor to take his place la. Now with the new constitution, he will go on and on and on and on. When you question him, I bet he will say what to do, people still want him.
Now in the amendment they have added an Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). Look at 5.14 5.15 and reference is also made to Article 22.2. The intention is good but there are weakness and there is a fatal flaw in this. The weakness is this covers only disputes involving Member and member of OCM and a Member of OCM and its member.(6.14). Looking at its jurisdiction it involves only members.
ReplyDeleteDisputes in sports more often than not involves non members. Take MAKAF, the Karate boys. It is a know fact that MAKAF has excluded other karate bodies registered under the SC to be their members. Now how can this ADR deal with dispute of this nature? The only issue is membership, and I know and OCM also know for a fact that the only issue is joining MAKAF. Now what is so important about joining MAKAF, the answer is MAKAF is the NSA for Karate and you want to represent the country you must join MAKAF, if not you are excluded.
On non members OCM is powerless to deal with such matters. This is a weakness.
Now on this point, The SEC Gen himself extolled that it is a Human Right for everyone to participate in Sports. Is it not also against Human Rights to prevent a body to join the NSA, and they are willing to follow its rules of the NSA.
Look at the problem of the Persatuan Okinawa Shoringyu Sibukan Karate Antarabangsa Malaysia, registered with the Sports Commissioner office under 0154/98. This body is registered as a Federation and they have more than 2,500 members. They are excluded by MAKAF. Why?
Look at Ganga Rao Sacking with no reasons at all, sure BAM constitution may say that Nadzmi as president have the right to hire and fire with no reasons. But in sports when you talk about fair play and extol the goodness of sportsmanship, is this right? In the Court of Public Opinion, it is definitely unjust. Can OCM help Ganga or the BAM constitution overides OCM constitution?
I shall deal with the fatal flaw in Part 3.
I am not sure I agree to the observations above. Surely OCM can only deal with their members what. To open their doors to non members where will all this ends. As for your example on Karate; MAKAF being the NSA for Karate surely have the right like BAM to say, I do not want to accept you and my constitution say I need not give reasons.
ReplyDeleteOn your description on powers of OCM, you are saying OCM more powerful than SC or Sports Development Act. You gave India Olympic Association as example. Maybe India have no equivalent to the Sports Development Act like Malaysia.
Anyway, can anyone help out, is it true OCM Olympic Charter is greater than the Sports Act. If that is the case then OCM is a powerful body in sports more powerful than the Ministry of Sports.
With the amendments OCM is taking the initiative to play a bigger role as a sports body.I think in the course of it they may lost their directions. They are going to be like the Indian Olympic Association. It is an exclusive club for the old and retired. Honestly I have no problems with that, but do not cause trouble with the sports body trying to do their own things.
ReplyDeletePlease just play your role quitely.
Mr. Goldfish, thank you for commenting. I have extracted Article 28 of the Olympic Charter 2010.
ReplyDeleteArticle 28: The mission of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) is to develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in their respective countries. The role of NOCs within each country is to promote the spirit of Olympicism, ensure the observance of the Olympic Charter, and to encourage ethics in and development of sports. They are in charge of their country's representation at the Games, deciding on a host city for the Games, and cooperation with governmental and non-governmental bodies during the Games.
Notice Mr. Goldfish, the charter says ethics in the Development of sports. The OCM constitution also talks of Ethics. Now when we talk of ethics, we do not talk about law. When we talk of sportsmanship and fair play we do not talk about law.
So are you saying that we follow what the MAKAF constitution say and ignore the ethics of things. That body Okinawa Shiringyu Sibukan referred to merely want to join MAKAF so that their students can go for the National ranking. MAKAF just rejected them with no valid reasons at all.
What you are saying Nadzmi is right by kicking our Ganga Rao by not giving reason BECAUSE their constitution say so.
If that line of argument is right, then let us not talk about ethics. Drop ethics from the OCM constitution and also the Olympic charter.
Next Goldfish, who then decides what is ethical and fair play. OCM ? Yes OCM and it is decided what suits them according to what is convenient and fair to them.
Hello readers, there are many complaints made against the SEC Gen of OCM. You try and compliant to the ADL and you think you will see the matter coming for action. Mr. Constitution talk on theory, I talk on the practical la.
ReplyDeleteYour chance of action being taken is as good as a snowball in Hell!
Please don't get me wrong when I say that OCM are a club for retired in the negative way. We have to accept that the retired have time to dabble in sport. Take Tan Sri Jega for example, he is a legend in Malaysian sports and I recall his tortise rim spectacles when he ran in the Olympics. Alas, he told me it has gone missing.
ReplyDeleteTan Sri Jega can contribute to sports very much.
He is humble and not cantankerous like the SEC GEN who attracted the wrong publicity for OCM all for the wrong reasons.
Troble with Sec Gen is he cannot accept dissenting views. With age they normally say wisdom will follow. Unfortunately this is missing and that is why there are calls for his early retiremnent.
Further the Board of OCM are like an exclusive club, and all take care of one another. To go into the Board you must be obedient, follow their culture and be inducted slowly. Any brash moves and you are branded as a rebel.
Now with the new constitution, the Club becomes more exclusive.
Goldfish and Anon :12.04 what Mr.Constitution say may be tongue in cheek and certainly interesting reading. However if you take the time to Google on the Indian Olympic Association, perhaps he is not joking about the NOC being very powerful and more powerful than the Indian Sports Authority.
ReplyDeleteLook the Sec Gen in IOA is the Randir Singh,he is also the IOC member from India.
This chap also got the IOC and the OCA involved. The IOC apparently have warned the Indian authorities not to interfere in the IOA problems. They warned that the autonomy of IOA should not be interferred with. Now in another Sports Blog Level Field, India also have an equivalent like the SDA in Malaysia.
The point is this our SC office under our Malaysian SDA may have the right to formulate sports policy but they certainly will not put the age of retirement of 70 or serving not more than terms of 12 years.They would not dare after the experience in India.
Seriously OCM as the NOC have the backing of the IOC and the OCA , they are more powerful than the MInister of Youth & sports and also, it appears they can defy the provision of the Sports Development Act.
Next time if you see the Board members of OCM , please stand up and "tabate" them.