KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — The 2020 Johor Malaysian Games (Sukma) has been rescheduled to take place from March 6 to 14 next year following the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, says Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
In a statement yesterday, he said the Para Sukma Games would be held a month later from April 5 to 10, 2021.
The decision was made by the Malaysia Games Supreme Committee during a special meeting held via video conference.
Reezal Merican, who chaired the meeting, said the names ‘Sukma 2020’ and ‘Para Sukma 2020’ however, would be retained for branding purposes.
The Johor Sukma Games was originally scheduled to be held from July 11 to 19, followed by the Para Sukma Games from August 11 to 22.
He said several technical amendments had been made to the General Regulations for the 2020 edition of the Games, including Article 3.1 which allows athletes who have been enrolled in the long list before January 9 this year, to participate despite exceeding the specified age limit at the time of the competition.
Applications to change the names of athletes listed in the long list can be submitted to the chairman of the Special Technical Committee until June 30, but only for cases due to injury or if the athletes concerned cannot get leave from their respective institutions or employers for the competition.
Completed entry forms with the names of shortlisted candidates must be submitted by the state contingents to the Johor Sukma Secretariat no later than December 31.
“I also wish to inform you that the next supreme committee meeting will be held this October, to discuss any changes to the dates for Sukma, if required.
“I hope that with this decision, all our young athletes from respective states will continue with their personal training based on programmes provided by their coaches throughout the movement control order,” he said.
— Bernama
