KUALA LUMPUR — “We already have two athletes ranked among the best in the world; what more do we need to prove to be included in the Podium Programme?”
These were the words of national lawn bowls head coach Zuraidi Puteh, addressing the National Sports Council’s (NSC) reluctance to include his athletes in the full-time Podium Programme despite their significant achievements and world rankings.
Zuraidi, who joined the Malaysia Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) in 2009, has played a crucial role in the success of lawn bowler Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple.
Under Zuraidi’s guidance, Izzat, now 32, has risen to the top of the world rankings, surpassing Scotland’s Stewart Anderson.
Additionally, Nor Farah Ain Abdullah, the women’s champion at the 2024 Indoor World Championship in Guernsey, has also advanced to second in the world rankings, behind Australia’s Kelsey Cottrell.
Speaking to Scoop, the 58-year-old coach emphasised that both Izzat and Farah deserve inclusion in the Podium Programme. He believes this support is essential to maintaining their world rankings amid increasing global competition.
Currently, national lawn bowlers are part of a temporary initiative by the NSC called the phase programme. This arrangement restricts their tournament participation to those approved by the council.
“We have two world-class athletes; what more must we demonstrate to be included in the Podium Programme? I have no idea when the NSC will start taking our athletes’ efforts seriously,” Zuraidi said when contacted.
“Since we’re not in the Podium Programme, they have to find jobs and can’t be full-time athletes, which is really sad.
“These athletes only train for competitions after working hours. Athletes like Izzat, who works from 9 am to 5 pm at the Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation, can only train with us on weekends.
“Being part of the Podium Programme would at least allow these athletes to enjoy the NSC facilities and medical benefits, which would boost their performance. They are not like badminton players, who can go independent and rely on private sponsors.
“That’s why the government should be helping us, as we are all working really hard for the country. Both Izzat and Farah are among the best in the world, and they need to be in the programme to remain competitive as many other nations are catching up in the sport,” added Zuraidi.
Zuraidi is committed to developing more top lawn bowlers and hopes to demonstrate the sport’s value to the NSC, potentially leading to a change in their approach.
“I will take this as a challenge and keep working hard to produce top players for the country. Maybe by doing so, it will open the NSC’s eyes and lead them to take us as seriously as other sports in the country,” Zuraidi added.
Notable successes under Zuraidi’s coaching include Nur Ain Nabilah Tarmizi and Aleena Ahmad Nawawi, who won Malaysia’s first women’s pairs gold at the World Bowls Championships in Australia last September.
The NSC’s exclusion of lawn bowlers from the Podium Programme was previously linked to their performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. — September 16, 2024