SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Olympic Council (OCM) said that its President Tan Sri Norza Zakaria did not use government funds for his family's trip to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
In a statement, OCM clarified that all expenses for his family were personally funded by Norza.
The statement further explained that MOM and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) only facilitated access and ensured that no government resources were used for this purpose.
Additionally, the statement emphasised that Norza's presence at the Olympics, including his family's, fully complies with IOC and OCM regulations.
"At this moment, it is crucial for us as Malaysians to focus on what is most important, which is to offer unwavering support to our athletes representing the country on the world stage.
"Let us unite and channel our energy to celebrate their achievements and encourage their efforts," the statement read.
Addressing the special quota that has been widely criticised, OCM explained that this quota is specially allocated for the leadership of any country's Olympic body, council, or committee.
This includes individuals holding positions such as president and secretary general, as well as head of stated and Sports Minister.
"This quota only provides access to VIP areas and does not include access to the Field of Play (FOP), locker rooms, or athlete accommodations in the Olympic Village.
"This makes it impractical for coaches or support staff to use this quota as it does not provide the necessary access to effectively support athletes.
"Due to the limited access, the support team for any athlete must be arranged outside the IOC access," the statement clarified. - Awani