KUALA LUMPUR: With the Asian Games 12 days away, Datuk Dr Ramlan Abd Aziz believes athletes and officials must remain flexible as Malaysia contends with haze, heat and humidity.
The Malaysian contingent has now expanded to a 541-member delegation, comprising 356 athletes – 206 males and 150 females – and 185 team officials – 141 males and 44 females.
The delegation will compete in 30 of the 43 sports in the programme, participating in 158 of the 469 events.
Ramlan, the former director-general of the National Sports Council (NSC) and chief executive officer of the National Sports Institute (NSI) said poor air quality could pose a serious challenge, particularly during prolonged outdoor activities.
However, athletes and their support teams are accustomed to adapting to changing conditions.
“Much has been said about air quality and all that. That is, of course, the main issue. But when it comes to outdoor activities, we must also recognise that the heat is quite unbearable,” Dr Ramlan told Twentytwo13.
“There are issues pertaining to heat exposure and the need for rehydration. We have seen this before. Remember 2014? There was the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.
“The readings then were quite brutal, much worse than what we are currently facing.”
Dr Ramlan said that in 2014, the Youth and Sports Ministry, NSC and NSI worked closely with the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) to monitor conditions and adjust training accordingly.
He said the same approach is being adopted now.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari has confirmed that the ministry receives updates from the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry and relevant agencies.
“Athletes can train anywhere, any time. They are always prepared to compete in any conditions, whether under the sun, in a downpour or in freezing temperatures – that is what sets them apart,” said Dr Ramlan, who will serve as the medical officer for hockey at the Asian Games.
“We couldn’t be too rigid about certain things. We needed to follow the changes in air quality, temperature and humidity.
“Training schedules could also be adjusted, with some teams training at night to avoid the worst conditions.”
For sports that require outdoor facilities, however, moving indoors is not always an option.
“In hockey, you need to train on the artificial turf to work on your set-piece and penalty corners. You can’t replicate that indoors,” he said.
“But when you get updates about the air quality you will know when it would be safe to train outside and for how long. This applies to all sports.”
Ultimately, Dr Ramlan believes athletes must also take responsibility for their wellbeing.
“They have to be clearly aware of the risks involved,” he said. “Some may insist on continuing training outdoors, but they need to think of their long-term health.
“They must take responsibility as you become a champion with proper planning.”
He added that authorities could consider sending athletes to the host city earlier or finding alternative training venues if conditions continue to deteriorate.
Several areas in Malaysia have recorded unhealthy or hazardous air quality levels in recent days.
In Sarawak, Serian recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 519 last week, prompting the government to declare an emergency in the district, although the declaration has since been lifted.
In Johor today, Segamat and Batu Pahat recorded the highest readings at 157, followed by Tangkak at 154 and Kluang at 151, according to the Air Pollutant Index Management System.
API readings between 101 and 200 are classified as unhealthy, while readings between 201 and 300 are considered very unhealthy and those above 300 hazardous.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast haze across Johor, with temperatures expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius.
Image: National Sports Council/Facebook
