KUALA LUMPUR — In a sporting landscape dominated by established classics, Malaysia’s innovative creation, jombola, is poised to disrupt the norm as it seeks local and international recognition.
As an exciting newcomer on the scene, jombola offers a unique amalgamation of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton and has recently caught the eye of the Youth and Sports Ministry.
Discussions are underway to elevate the game to a demonstration sport in the 2024 Malaysian Games (Sukma) and the 2027 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Speaking to Scoop, Jombola Association president and founder Sukdev Singh expressed his enthusiasm for the potential inclusion of jombola in these prestigious sporting events.
“We are thrilled to be in talks with the Youth and Sports Ministry to showcase jombola at Sukma Sarawak and the SEA Games.
“This could be a game-changer for our sport, and we are working diligently to meet all necessary requirements to take jombola to the international stage,” Sukdev said.
The 63-year-old also shared the key factors that inspired him to create this sport and the progress of this sport since its inception in 2012.
“What inspired me to create this sport is my passion for tennis. While studying in England, I used to play tennis frequently.
“We began developing jombola in 2012, and it took us about three years to fine-tune the equipment, rules, and regulations, including conducting preliminary competitions to validate our rules.
“In 2014, we officially registered with the Sports Commissioner of Malaysia, and currently, we have around 5,000 players participating at the school and college levels.
“By the time 2019 arrived, we had successfully organised various state tournaments. Unfortunately, our progress was temporarily halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but now we are in the process of resuming from where we left off,” he said.
Sukdev remains confident that jombola is on the right track to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic and sustain its growing status.
“In terms of challenges, as a new sport, we need to introduce the concept to the public and encourage more people to play and participate in tournaments.
“We are actively establishing clubs and promoting the equipment, with the goal of developing jombola into a thriving industry.
“We plan to conduct numerous roadshows to increase awareness of the sport in Malaysia.
“Jombola falls into the category of court games, suitable for entire families and communities, and it’s a game that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.
“Our sport’s simplicity and accessibility make it suitable for everyone,” Sukdev added.
Meanwhile, Elshedai Meshach, Jombola Secretary and an athlete of the sport, aspires to represent Malaysia on the international stage.
“I discovered jombola during my university days at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College in 2016.
“Jombola has taught me that there is no age barrier for this game, and we can all shine through this sport.
“I hope to one day represent Malaysia in the Asian Games or the Olympics in the future through this sport,” he said.
Jombola is played on a standard badminton court using specialised jombola racquets and a high-grade foam ball.
The game follows a 15-point scoring system.
Introduced to the Selangor State Education Department in 2014, jombola gained further recognition when the Education Ministry included it in the 1Student1Sport program for secondary schools in 2017.— September 22, 2023.