Sports associations, coaches need to be stricter on nutrition aspects of athletes - Hannah

PUTRAJAYA - Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh urged all sports associations and coaches to be stricter in ensuring that national athletes are more disciplined in the aspect of nutrition to avoid doping cases.

Hannah said the excuse that athletes don't know what they're taking or eating, leading them to fail doping tests shouldn't happen.

"Athletes cannot give the excuse that they do not know what they have eaten. ADAMAS (Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia), MSN (National Sports Council) have done various things (to address doping)... So I ask for the cooperation of sports associations, coaches and parents and the athletes themselves to take note.

"I follow the status updates of athletes on social media who post pictures of food. I'm worried that they don't take care of their diet, so I think we have to tighten and strengthen awareness. Otherwise, it's a waste of money we invest when they get caught (for doping)," she said.

She told this to reporters after the Ministry of Youth and Sports' (KBS) signing ceremony of the Declaration of Support for the Safe Sports Code with ADAMAS, Doping Control Officers (DCO) and Anti-Doping Educators here today.

Hannah issued the reminder following doping issues that continued to tarnish the national sports arena last year at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Kuala Lumpur, while another case emerged at the Malaysian Athletics Federation's Track and Field Championships 2023 in February this year.

Earlier, Hannah had witnessed the Declaration of Support for the Safe Sports Code signed by more than 50 ADAMAS members, DCOs and Anti-Doping Educators at Menara Kementerian Belia dan Sukan in Putrajaya in line with the launch of the code on March 15. - BERNAMA