Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) supports efforts by sports associations, including those in football, aquatics, and swimming, to incorporate heritage athletes, provided they adhere to established international regulations.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister Hannah Yeoh emphasized that each sport has its own set of international guidelines concerning heritage or naturalised players, and the ministry is amenable to these developments as long as they comply with the respective sports bodies’ regulations. “We follow international regulations,” said Yeoh, pointing out that if organizations like FIFA or World Aquatics permit heritage athletes, then KBS has no objections. She highlighted that while priority is given to local talent, the objective for any team is to compete and win while adhering to the rules.

However, Yeoh cautioned sports associations against relying too heavily on naturalised or heritage athletes as a shortcut to success. To bolster grassroots development, KBS has allocated RM1 million through the National Sports Council (MSN) aimed at nurturing athletes for the Olympic Games since 2023. She also noted that any efforts to bring in such athletes must align with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ guidelines.

In another matter, Yeoh addressed the ongoing contract issue between the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and world number three women’s doubles players, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah. She assured that the situation does not impact their participation in the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, reaffirming continuous support for athletes identified as gold medal prospects for the 2028 Olympic Games.