KUALA LUMPUR: While there have been calls to open up the competition to athletes of all ages, the National Sports Council (NSC) have stressed that it is imperative the Malaysia Games (Sukma) remains as an under-21 competition.
Sukma has traditionally been a platform for young state athletes to showcase their talents and NSC believes opening up the event to all ages would limit opportunities for younger athletes.
NSC deputy director general Jefri Ngadirin said that it is up to national sports associations (NSA) to provide senior athletes a competition platform at the national level.
"During the 2022 Sukma, which was held in Kuala Lumpur, we allowed athletes up to the age of 23 to compete and we saw that the younger ones were unable to excel," said Jefri today.
"It is the responsibility of the NSAs to organise national championships to provide a platform for their senior athletes to compete in. The younger athletes can also compete in this tournament.
"Unfortunately not many NSAs conduct their own national championships, let alone national junior championships.
"This is despite there being a number of government grants available to help them organise such tournaments.
"Sukma should be left as it is, don't disrupt the Sukma programme just because others are not providing the necessary platform for their senior athletes."
The 2022 Sukma allowed the inclusion of under-23 athletes as the 2020 Sukma had been cancelled due to Covid-19.
The Sarawak Sukma, which concluded last week, utilised the games' traditional under-21 format.
Former NSC director general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail recently urged Malaysia to follow the example set by Indonesia who have not set an age limit for their national games.
This is to encourage states to continue providing support to their athletes even after the age of 21.