Sabah coach alleges misuse of authority in Semporna Cross-Country Championship

SHAH ALAM - Semporna's annual District Schools Sports Council (MSSD) Cross-Country Championship has come under fire following allegations of misconduct and abuse of power by the event's officiating team.

A local coach, whose athlete was affected, took to Facebook to share his frustrations, accusing officials of unfairly stripping his trainee of a hard-earned silver medal without concrete evidence.

The alleged incident happened last Saturday during the championship, where the athlete initially secured second place.

However, moments after the medal presentation, event officials revoked his victory based on accusations that he had used a vehicle during the race—a claim the coach vehemently denies. The medal was subsequently handed to the third-place finisher.

"What shocked us most was the lack of due process. Neither the athlete nor the school was given an opportunity to defend against the accusations. The decision was made unilaterally, with no evidence such as photos or videos, only the testimony of three participants," the coach wrote.

The coach highlighted the meticulous preparation his athlete underwent, citing GPS data from a Garmin smartwatch worn during the race.

He said the device recorded detailed metrics, including distance, pace and heart rate, which he claimed corroborated the athlete's adherence to race protocols.

Despite presenting this evidence, the officiating team reportedly dismissed the data, further fueling suspicions of bias.

"They refused to accept any counterarguments and seemed determined to uphold their decision. This is a blatant misuse of power," the coach said.

Following intense discussions, the organisers reinstated the athlete's position but insisted on sharing the silver medal with the third-place runner.

The athlete was later subjected to an individual rerun of the 9.2-kilometre course, a condition he described as unnecessary and demeaning.

"This is not just about one athlete. It's about the systemic issues plaguing sports management in Semporna. Promising athletes are being demoralised by a broken system that prioritises politics over talent," he added.

The coach also alleged other instances of mismanagement in past events, including delayed medal distributions and unfulfilled monetary rewards for athletes who represented Semporna at state-level championships.

He called for a transparent investigation into the district’s sports governance, vowing to continue speaking out against injustices that hindered the development of local talent.

"Semporna's athletes are immensely talented, but their potential is being squandered by a system riddled with unfair practices," he said.