KUALA LUMPUR – Once he assumes the role of technical director, John Beasley has big plans for the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF), including making track cycling accessible to all.
In an exclusive interview with Scoop, the 62-year-old Australian, who was recently granted permanent resident (PR) status, acknowledged that many are deterred from track cycling due to its perceived high cost.
However, Beasley, who has been instrumental in developing track stars like Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri, revealed that he has devised a proposal to present to the Youth and Sports Ministry, the National Sports Council (NSC) and potential sponsors to further support the sport at the grassroots level.
“It’s not cheap, but it can be made more affordable,” Beasley said during a special appearance on Scoop’s sports podcast, Sport Check.
“One idea I want to implement is introducing a class of track cycling bikes that cost RM1,000. Young athletes would compete exclusively on these bikes, ensuring everyone uses the same technology.
“This would make the sport more accessible to everyone. The government could purchase a certain number of bikes, and for those who truly can’t afford it, we could find sponsors to assist these athletes and their families.
“What we crucially need right now is infrastructure,” added Beasley, who first came to Malaysia in 2006 to coach the national team.
According to Beasley, aside from the National Velodrome in Nilai, there are only three other velodromes in Perak, Terengganu and Johor that meet the International Cycling Union (UCI) requirements.
Beasley also emphasised the importance of having former athletes lead National Sports Associations (NSAs).
“Currently, federations are headed by people with no sports background. They are either well-connected politically or through business. They don’t understand high-performance sports, so how can we expect sports to progress?
“At the moment, we lack a proper pathway and are still reliant on the sports school system,” said Beasley.
To hear more, stay tuned for Sport Check, which is available on all podcast platforms. – August 25, 2024