THE Youth and Sports Ministry will table its proposal to the Special Ministerial Committee on its plans for contact and combat sports to be allowed again, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said to date, no approval has been given for contact sports or activities to resume but they were given the green light for no-contact training.

“Next week, the youth and sports minister is expected to present to the committee its proposal on permitting full-time contact training for team sports such as football, futsal, combat sports and others.

“Before this, although we allowed football training, it was for individual activity, like exercise and running. No contact practice allowed,” he said at his briefing today.

The government had earlier announced it would allow gyms, indoor sports venues and snooker centres to resume operations from June 15 under the recovery movement-control order (RMCO). 

The public is also allowed to carry out sports and recreational activities without bodily contact for indoor and outdoor facilities. 

These include, among others, badminton, athletics and motorsports, as well recreational activities like yoga and aerobics. 

Ismail Sabri said he also expects the sports ministry to present a proposal for sports and recreational tournaments, which would take place in stages.  

“There are suggestions, for example football matches being held without spectators. These are things the ministry may suggest later.  

“Insyallah, the special committee will listen to the proposal from the ministry and will see if the Health Ministry approves it,” he said, adding that the sports ministry is having a discussion with field operators and commercial court operators today. 

The RMCO began on June 10 and will be enforced until August 31. – July 3, 2020.