SHAH ALAM - Former national MotoGP racer Shahrol Yuzy Ahmad Zaini to professional racers has a stark and stern reminder to the current crop of professional racers: accolades earned in unsanctioned races, even if labelled ‘national,’ will not be recognised.
Shahrol’s advice -- aired in the latest episode of Sinar Daily’s Sports Matter podcast -- came against the backdrop of a spate of deadly unsanctioned racing tournaments organised throughout the country.
"If you are not competing in a sanctioned event, you will not be a national champion even if you win it.
"The event must be endorsed by the national body which, in this case, is the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).
"Unsanctioned races, despite having the word national and all, does not mean a single thing.
"It’s ‘syok sendiri’, delusions of grandeur,” said Shahrol.
The other guest during the podcast, seasoned sports journalist Arnaz M. Khairul also seconded Shahrol’s view.
He stressed that the seal of approval to endorse a particular sports tournament as national is the right of the governing body.
"The word ‘national’ itself -- to call an event a national event -- is the prerogative of the governing body. Nobody else has the authority,” said Arnaz.
Malaysia has had several unsanctioned motorsports races since last year, with three garnering notoriety due to fatalities.
Last year, a racer died in Gong Badak, Terengganu, after hitting a tree at the finish line.
In January, a spectator was killed by a race car in Pasir Salak, Perak, and in September, drag racer Hattem Rashdi also perished at an unsanctioned event in Pekan, Pahang.
Arnaz claimed that unsanctioned races managed to bloom and sprout, organised by the allegedly unscrupulous quarters due to a lack of oversight by the Youth and Sports Ministry.
"I can tell Hannah Yeoh that she shouldn’t look too far because the problem is within her ministry.
"She should look into the government departments that have been handling motorsports all this while.
"It is the ministry that has been enabling all these unsanctioned events.
"They are the ones who have blood on their hands. I don’t want to blame Yeoh but she has to put a stop to it,” Arnaz stressed.