ADOPTING foreign athletes should not be an alternative to producing our own athletes.

The Youth and Sports Ministry should not entertain the proposal by National Sports Council director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong (”Foreign ‘help’ should be studied” — NST, Aug 27).

The council should instead identify and encourage athletes with potential in all types of sports.

This should be done via both public and private enterprise and should include public and private schools, sports associations and also directly with individuals with potential.

The issue here is the lack of identification of athletes with potential who may not come forward because of a lack of knowledge, mentors, publicity and funding.

Athletes who represent the country should be of Malay-sian origin when Malaysia is showcased internationally.

Adopting foreign talent will only lead to complacency and demoralise local athletes.

All sports associations sho-uld be centralised under the National Sports Council and developing sports talent in the country should be a national agenda.

We should look at sports to develop and mould youths as well as create fresh talent and not be solely dependent on existing talent to bring in the medals.

Source: NST – August 29, 2008