By Vikneswaran Raman

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 -- The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) has proposed to the government to introduce a pension scheme for athletes who had participated in the Olympic Games or achieved Olympics equivalent success.

OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the pension will help ease the burden of national athletes who had sacrificed a lot for the country’s glory.

Olympics equivalent events include the world championships in certain sports.

“The athletes had contributed a lot for the country in the past, but many are facing difficulties now, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some even turned to selling their shoes and medals for cash.

“The government should find a solution for this,” he told Bernama when asked on OCM’s recommendations for the 2021 Budget to be tabled in Parliament on Friday.

He also welcomed the call by Malaysian Olympians Association (MOA) president Karu Selvaratnam for free medical insurance coverage for national athletes.

Under the National Sports Council’s “Skim Imbuhan Tetap Olimpik dan Paralimpik (SITO)”, only Olympics and Paralympics medallists are eligible for a lifetime monthly allowance for their world-class feat.

A gold medal winner will receive RM1 million cash under National Sports Incentive Scheme (SHAKAM) and a monthly pension of RM5,000; a silver medallist will get RM300,000 plus a RM3,000 pension and a bronze winner will receive RM100,000 plus a RM2,000 pension.

Mohamad Norza said the government could impose a “sports tax” on companies to help the sports industry, which has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the sports industry and sports associations normally make money through three ways – organising tournaments, sponsorships and government funding – but the pandemic has thrown sand into their rice bowl.

“The government can help to divert monies to the national sports agenda or programmes from other industries, either a percentage of their profit to be exclusively channelled to sports or something like introducing a sports tax on their profit. Sports has always been a key element in uniting the country; its contributions are huge,” he added.

In this regard, the OCM also proposed that tax breaks and exemptions be given for companies and individuals who contribute to the sports industry.

“Generally, the government is already providing tax breaks of seven and 10 per cent to individuals and companies respectively. If the government is able to increase the percentage of tax break to those who do their bit for sports, it would definitely entice more companies to become a sponsor or partner of either sports events or national sports associations.

“We are aware that the pandemic has hit the sports industry badly particularly for those who own facilities. Due to the SOPs (standard operating procedures), many of these facilities are now under-utilised. Similarly, event organisers are also impacted as are our athletes who under normal circumstances would have gotten their earnings from participating at various tournaments.”

Mohamad Norza said sports is an industry run by many former athletes and passionate individuals, who would not be able to survive the pandemic without the government’s help.

He said the OCM had submitted the proposals to Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican recently for the ministry’s attention before forwarding it to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

-- BERNAMA