A PRIVATELY funded national karate team rejected by sponsors won six medals including Malaysia’s first gold at a global meet in France recently.

However, the team still in need of funds to settle their outstanding dues, having entered the competition on credit.

The International Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Sei-bu-kan Karate-Do Association of Malaysia (IOSSKAM) needs around RM23,000 to clear remaining expenses picked for competing in the international open karate tournament, in Lyon, France, earlier this month.

The team won one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, as well as two trophies.

IOSSKAM spokesperson Thivashini Krish Dhev Nair detailed to The Malaysian Insight the RM62,000 spent on tournament fees, flights, accommodation, meals and other miscellaneous necessities.

“We managed to collect around RM18,000 initially through donations, while the public has so far chipped in with some RM21,000.

“As of May 15, we still need some RM23,000 to clear all outstanding bills and payments,” Thivashini, the association’s chief of public relations, said.

Of the initial RM18,000, MIC president S.A. Vigneswaran donated RM10,000, with the balance coming from members of the public, including local singer Arvind Raj.

IOSSKAM shares updates on its Instagram page.

Competing against 12 other counties including heavyweights such as Japan, India, Ukraine, Italy, and Romania, the Malaysian team, all of them ethnic Indians, was headlined by 17-year-old Nivashini Sivaraman who won the country’s only gold to date in the kata 15-17 female junior category.

Thivanishwary Muniandy, 18, secured silver in the kata 18-34 female junior category as well as bronze in the kumite 18-34 female junior category.

Praveen Elancheran Dharmalingam, 16, won silver in the kumite 15-17 junio male 70kg and above category.

In one team event, Paveedra Devi V. Ganesh, Nivashini Sivaraman, Thavanishwary Muniandy won silver in the rotational team kumite female open.

Meanwhile, Shachiidanantha Guberan Pathmanathan, Mugeshvaran V. Ganesh, Praveen Elancheran Dharmalingam and Prakash Muhammad Arjuna won bronze in the rotational team kumite male open category.

Thivashini said, due to insufficient funds, they travelled to Paris on credit with the help of a local tour agency, Holara Holiday Haven Sdn Bhd, which paid in advance for their flights under a “fly first, pay later” offer.

Thivashini said there were sponsors who made earlier promises to help the team enter the tournament, but failed to keep their word when the time came. However, she declined to name them.

Carrying on founder’s legacy

Thivashini said she had started working on getting sponsors for the tournament since late February.

Asked if the team had approached the Youth and Sports Ministry, she said they did, but would not elaborate further.

However, she said IOSSKAM, which is registered with the ministry, used to have no problems receiving financial assistance from the government when the association’s late president, Mahaguru Hanshi P. Pathmanathan, was still around.

“This is not our first international tournament. We have participated in Ireland, Poland, Brazil, India and a lot of other countries.

“When our late president was still around, our association had no such financial issues. People knew who he was.

“He passed away last year due to Covid-19 and we had no idea how to run the association after that because all of us are youngsters,” Thivashini said, who is 22 and still studying for her degree in corporate communications at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

“When we approached the same people as our late president did, the funds and help did not come. So, we had to struggle this time,” she said, adding that this is their first major tournament abroad after Pathmanathan’s death.

Currently, Padmanathan’s 26-year-old daughter, Minalochuni is president, taking over from her father, who established IOSSKAM in 1996.

They do not have their own dojo and train at the Dewan MBPJ in Sri Manja, Petaling Jaya, instead.

The team is trained by Pathmanathan’s children: Minalochuni and sibling Shachiidanantha.

Not disheartened by the lack of local support over the recent tournament, Thivashini said the team is now setting their sights on future tournaments in the United States, in July, and in Italy this November.

The team will need close to RM85,000 for both tournaments, she said, which will include flights and accommodation. However, this is subject to confirmation.

Perhaps more disappointing is that the team has not received a single word of recognition from the Malaysian government.

“It is not easy to achieve such a feat at an international stage and we have made our nation proud but we have not gotten the recognition we deserve.

“I am glad the public has supported us and are continuing to support us after our success story became viral on social media.

“I hope we can bring more glory to the country in the future,” Thivashini said.

Those who wish to donate to IOSSKAM can funds to: Persatuan Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Sei-Bu-Kan, Maybank, Acc No: 012080228072. – May 17, 2022.