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‘Don’t play with fire, it’s costly’, FAS warn fans BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

‘Don’t play with fire, it’s costly’, FAS warn fans

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 11:01 AM PST

by Matthew Umpang, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 9, 2014, Thursday

KUCHING: Flares and firecrackers would appear to be an integral part of showing their support of the Crocs for some fans.

No one can deny that these fireworks contribute to a lively atmosphere in the stadium on match night. But local football authorities are losing patience.

Contacting The Borneo Post yesterday, Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) said flares and firecrackers are in fact the biggest issue facing them this coming season.

FAS deputy president Datu Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki has made an urgent appeal to fans.

"Playing with flares and firecrackers are illegal everywhere. All football fans should be aware of that," he cautioned.

He would like these fans to consider the financial burden faced by FAS who have to pay hefty fines imposed by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for infringement.

FAS secretary-general Abdullah Julaihi even have specific figures to show.

Last year, FAS paid at least RM200,000 in fines related to flares and firecrackers.

He asked fans to imagine what the FAS could otherwise have done with that amount of money.

"I think we have to pay a fine of at least RM30,000 to RM40,000 per match.

"This money could be used for other things such flight tickets, buying better players during the transfer window or even organise activities to gather fans, to mention a few," he said.

Sarawak will play their first home match this season on Jan 21 against Penang in the FA Cup competition.

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Boxing coach slams change in age ruling for Sukma XVII

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:49 AM PST

KUCHING: Sarawak head coach Fred Mandagi is very disappointed with the Amateur Boxing Association of Malaysia (PTAM) on the change of the age limit for the boxing competition in Sukma XVII to be held in Perlis this May.

He said the new ruling, which only allow boxers aged from 19 to 21 to compete, has hurt Sarawak's chances.

"I am very disappointed with the new ruling because we stand to lose out on winning more medals," he complained.

This is because Sarawak has only three boxers in the age range of 19-21.

Fred said he had tried to call up boxers of this age group but failed as they have either started working or are furthering their studies.

"Some of the boxers are now unwilling to represent the state because they are unhappy with the new age ruling. They have been working and training very hard and given full commitment to compete in this Sukma," he added.

Before the new age ruling, PTAM had approved host Perlis' request to set the eligible age at 17-18.

However, this was revised to 19-21 after a meeting between representatives of participating teams in November last year.

If the age limit had remained at 17-18, Fred is confident that Sarawak are capable of winning more medals as there are nine potential boxers in the team.

Sarawak's challenge will now rest on the shoulders of two experienced boxers Mohamad Aisamuddin Mohamad and Mohamad Zamsurin Asran and a third less experienced boxer.

Fred said he will be bringing the three boxers to undergo a training stint in Pontianak, Kalimantan, Indonesia as part of the preparation for Sukma XVII.

At the last Sukma XV in Pahang two years ago, Sarawak fielded six boxers who brought home two silver medals through Richard Lim and Nazreen Sidi.

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Volleyball players boost Limbang’s reputation

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:48 AM PST

by Cecilia Sman, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 9, 2014, Thursday

LIMBANG: The sporting reputation of Limbang, already boosted by the achievements of its footballers, has been further enhanced by the contribution of three volleyball players who helped Sarawak to win national youth titles in Taiping, Perak last month.

The trio, Lum Ka Hoe 14, Lau Yun Hing 14, and Moses Chua Seng Lok 16, from SMK Limbang were among the state youth spikers who won the Under-14 and Under-16 national championships.

Limbang had earlier emerged third in the state-level championship. The success of the three players was celebrated at an appreciation dinner hosted by the Limbang Volleyball Association (LVA) on Tuesday night.

Those who attended were the Limbang MP Hasbi Habibollah, LVA president Dato Wong Sii Chong and chairman Wong Ching Choon, Limbang District Education Officer Mohamad Tangah and his deputy Annuar Naim and other members of LVA.

Hasbi was upbeat in delivering his address at the event.

"I am confident that Limbang has many more potential young players who could represent Sarawak and Malaysia at various levels of competitions. However, the sports associations concerned have to work hard in scouting these players and enabling them to achieve the desired success," he said.

Hasbi stressed that these associations must be focused and plan systematically as success does not comes easy but with great commitment, hardwork, continuous training and quality coaching.

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Swimmers target national records at C’wealth, Asian Games

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:45 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Two national elite swimmers, Daniel Bego and Christina Loh Yen Ling are determined to break national records at this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland and the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Christina, who collected two gold medals at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar, hopes to reach the finals at both meets despite knowing it will not be easy.

"I hope to do well in both Games and create new records in the 100m breaststroke," she said when met by reporters at an appreciation ceremony for SEA Games athletes in Myanmar, by Kenny Rogers Roasters, here yesterday.

At the Myanmar Games in December, Christina clinched the gold medal in the 100m and 200m breaststroke.

She said her performance was not satisfactory in the beginning of last year but her form gradually improved at the Third Islamic Solidarity Games in Palembang in September and later in Myanmar.

Christina said for the time being, she has not being informed of the plan for two Games as her coach Paul Birmingham had not fully recovered from dengue fever.

Daniel Bego also intends to break the 400m freestyle national record and hopes to put up his best performance at both Games.

"Even though after this I will be busy with my studies, my focus is on the two major events and I hope to do well," said Daniel, who will studying physiotherapy at a private college soon. — Bernama

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Tears, blackout – now a win for China’s Li?

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:44 AM PST

MELBOURNE: Li Na blacked out during last year's Australian Open final and in 2012 she departed in floods of tears. Now she may feel that, finally, her time has come.

The season's first Grand Slam has been a love-hate affair for the Chinese star, a popular figure at Melbourne Park who has twice made the final without being able to lift the trophy.

But ongoing improvement under coach Carlos Rodriguez has put Li, who turns 32 next month, in a strong position to make the trophy hers.

Li, currently ranked fourth in the world, ended 2013 at a career-high three following her runner-up finish to Serena Williams at the season-ending WTA Championships.

It capped a year that began in bittersweet circumstances for Li, who was a set up against Victoria Azarenka in the Melbourne final before painfully rolling her left ankle.

After the traditional break for Australia Day fireworks, Li went down again in the third set, smashing the back of her head on the court and briefly blacking out.

"I think I was a little bit worried when I fell down and my head hit the floor, because for two seconds I couldn't really see anything. It was totally black," she said at the time.

"So when the physio came, she was like, 'Focus on my finger'. I started laughing. I was thinking, 'This is a tennis court, not a hospital!'"

Li became Asia's first Grand Slam singles finalist at the Australian Open in 2011, when she was also a set up against Kim Clijsters before losing in three.

However, it proved the springboard to her greatest success, when she made history as Asia's first Grand Slam winner at the French Open later that year.

With expectations sky-high, and sponsors and media clamouring for her attentions, Li's form dipped and she fled her press conference in tears after a fourth-round Australian Open defeat to Clijsters in 2012.

Months later, after nose-diving out of the London Olympics' first round, Li took the tough decision to sideline her husband, Jiang Shan, as coach in favour of Argentina's Rodriguez.

It proved another bold but highly effective move from Li, who famously walked away from China's harsh state system in an example that would later be followed by other athletes.

She approaches the Australian Open in good form after starting the year with victory at the Shenzhen Open, beating compatriot Peng Shuai in the final.

Li will now feel confident about facing anyone — except perhaps the intimidating Williams, against whom she employed an unusual tactic in the WTA Championships final in October.

"Yeah, don't look at her at all, you know," she confided to reporters in Istanbul. The trick did not work for Li, who went down 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. — AFP

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Retired players denounce Rodman’s North Korea game

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:42 AM PST

CHICAGO: An organisation of retired National Basketball Association players has denounced Dennis Rodman's trip to North Korea, saying the game he is organising there will not bring cultures together.

Rodman is a former NBA superstar known more for his tattoos, body piercing, dyed hair and over-the-top lifestyle as his on-court feats.

He has assembled a team of former NBA players for an exhibition game in Pyongyang on Wednesday against North Korea to mark leader Kim Jong-Un's 31st birthday.

"Under the right circumstances basketball can serve as a bridge to bring communities together, but these are not those circumstances," Otis Birdsong, a four-time NBA All-Star and chairman of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA), said Tuesday.

"Standing alongside our partners at the NBA, we do not condone the basketball activities to be conducted in North Korea this week."

Rodman made his first of four visits to the Communist state last February and calls Kim, reportedly a NBA fan of Rodman's championship days with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, a friend for life.

Rodman, nicknamed "The Worm", has dated singer Madonna and was once married to actress Carmen Electra.

Among the former players who joined Rodman for the game in North Korea are Kenny Anderson, Vin Baker, Cliff Robinson, Doug Christie, Craig Hodges and Charles Smith.

"While we support international goodwill and diplomacy in instances deemed appropriate by our board of directors, it is important to clarify that the trip to North Korea led by Dennis Rodman and others was not sanctioned by the NBRPA and is not supported by our organisation in any way," Birdsong said. — AFP

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