SUBANG JAYA: Malaysia Athletics’ leadership is under pressure after several council members claimed they were shown a letter from World Athletics questioning the eligibility of its president, Datuk Karim Ibrahim (main image).
The revelation has raised fresh concerns over transparency within the association, as the letter was apparently sent in January but only surfaced during yesterday’s council meeting.
Twentytwo13 spoke to several council members, who remained tight-lipped over the contents of the letter, but confirmed Karim was absent from yesterday’s council meeting.
Deputy president Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh chaired the meeting, where the only agenda item was constitutional amendments.
Karim’s daughter, Nurhayati, MA’s secretary-general, excused herself from the meeting.
“World Athletics sent the letter to Malaysia Athletics three months ago. Why are we only now hearing about it?” asked a council member, who requested anonymity.
“We were not given a copy of the letter. Why are they afraid to share it with the council?
“Nothing was resolved, but I can tell you that I have never seen the council so united before. Everyone is shocked that the top management kept the letter quiet for three months.”
Another council member questioned what the letter meant for the association.
“Will our last AGM (annual general meeting) be declared null and void? That is the question the council members want answered,” he said.
The alleged letter comes amid mounting scrutiny over Karim’s return to power – a comeback that surprised many and reignited long-standing questions about governance, compliance and credibility within Malaysia Athletics.
Six years after losing the presidency, Karim staged a successful comeback last June, winning the post 25-14 by defeating Negeri Sembilan’s Datuk Wira Mark Ling. Incumbent Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim withdrew hours before the elections.
At the centre of the controversy is Karim’s past.
In 2018, the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics) deemed him ineligible to hold office as a council member, a decision upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2019.
Karim has repeatedly rejected claims that he was “banned for life,” describing such assertions as false.
However, his return to the top post was made possible by a constitutional amendment within Malaysia Athletics that allows previously sanctioned officials to contest for positions after five years.
Critics argue that the move contradicts World Athletics’ governance standards and was introduced specifically to facilitate his reinstatement.
The Sports Commissioner’s Office has since intervened, with Sports Commissioner Arrifin Ghani confirming that discussions with Malaysia Athletics are underway to determine the legitimacy of Karim’s position.
“I have had discussions with Malaysia Athletics, but I have not seen the letter from World Athletics,” said Arrifin.
Twentytwo13 reached out to Karim and Wan Hisham, but they have yet to reply. Nurhayati, meanwhile, confirmed she excused herself from yesterday’s meeting.
When asked about the letter from World Athletics, she did not address the question and said: “Our focus is to rebrand athletics with a governance framework, and we want more people, more partnerships, more participation and more engagement.
“Sports has to be entertaining, not limited to medals and records, but also about a healthy lifestyle,” she said.
