Sumbangan atlet veteran dipandang sepi oleh kerajaan

KUCHING: Atlet-atlet bina badan veteran wajar mendapat penghargaan seperti yang diberikan kepada atlet-atlet pada masa ini, kata Presiden Persatuan Bina Badan Sarawak (SBBA), Datuk Wee Hong Seng.

Menurutnya, atlet-atlet veteran seperti Soloman Esmanto, Allahyarham Bujang Taha dan Liaw Teck Leong telah berhempas pulas dalam keadaan serba kekurangan demi membawa nama baik Malaysia di persada antarabangsa.

“Sudah tiba masanya atlet- atlet veteran kita dikurniakan penghormatan dan insentif sama seperti yang dianugerahkan kepada atlet-atlet baharu,” katanya pada perasmian Kejuaraan Bina Badan Mr Boulevard/Mr BBS 2016 edisi ketiga di sini semalam.

Former athletes not ‘old trophies’

KUCHING (Oct 9): Contributions by state athletes who have retired from their game should not be dismissed for they have given their best during the peak of their career.

Suzana accepts contribution from Wee as Asfan (second left) looks on.

In stating this, Sarawak Bodybuilding Association (SBBA) president Datuk Wee Hong Seng said though no longer active, those veteran sportsmen had sacrificed a lot in making the state proud not just at national but also on the global arena.

“They should not be treated like ‘old trophies’. These veterans strove to make Malaysia proud at the time when infrastructure and facilities enjoyed by the young athletes of today, weren’t available at all,” he said after visiting state’s bodybuilding legend, Bujang Taha, at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here yesterday.