NOT all athletes’ requests under the Road to Gold (RTG) programme will be considered and it depends on whether they are justified, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.

She said the RTG, which supports athletes to win gold medals at the Olympics, will fully study the requests before decisions are made.

“This RTG is to top up facilities for athletes. Not all athletes’ requests will be considered. For example, if an athlete asks for a bigger house, you don’t think we will buy a house for him, do you?

“The athlete’s request must be reasonable in improving their performance and it will be decided with the RTG committee,” she said.

Yeoh said this at a press conference to announce Sports Matching Grants at Menara Kementerian Belia dan Sukan in Putrajaya today.

She was asked to comment on the request of badminton singles player Lee Zii Jia, who wanted a training partner and overseas practice to ensure improved performance, during a meeting with Hamidin Mohd Amin, Malaysia’s Chef de Mission to the 2024 Paris Olympics, yesterday.

“This RTG is a top-up service, so you can’t claim basic things. It is the athlete’s own duty if they work privately as they already know the cost that needs to be borne,” she said.

Earlier, at the event, the Youth and Sports Ministry announced conditions to submit matching grant fund applications to companies, sports associations, government agencies, civil society groups, and registered cooperatives that organise sports programmes and activities in the country.

Matching grant applications can be submitted online until July 31, with priority given to national sports associations that organise events.

Yeoh said the ministry will match 50% of a sporting programme cost or a maximum of RM1 million. 

Two secretariats led by the National Youth and Sports Department and National Sports Council have been set up as check and balance to avoid leakages and favouritism in disbursement of the grant. – Bernama, June 1, 2023.