Kuala Lumpur To Be Main Venue When Malaysia Host 2017 Sea Games

From Mazani Mohd Yusoff SINGAPORE, June 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said a majority of sports during the 2017 SEA Games to be hosted by Malaysia would be held in Kuala Lumpur. Khairy said though Kuala Lumpur will be the main venue, a number of events from the 39 sports contested may involve Sabah and Sarawak. An announcement on the venues would be announced after the 2017 SEA Games organising committee meeting soon. He said all the existing venues in Bukit Jalil (which locates the National Sports Complex) would be upgraded for the SEA Games to safe cost while only a new velodrome would be build in Nilai of Negeri Sembilan state to host track cycling events. Khairy said to prepare athletes for the 2017 SEA Games, athletes would undergo three phases of training from Sept 2015 to Sept 2016 and Oct 2016 to March 2017 with the first phase involving 2,310 athletes. Malaysia emerged as the overall champion in 2001 after winning 111 gold, 98 silver and 68 bronze medals when Malaysia hosted the games in Kuala Lumpur. The National Sports Council will head preparations for the first phase and assisted by the Olympic Council of Malaysia, National Sports Associations and the National Sports Institute. Meanwhile, Malaysian contingent Chef-de-Mission for the SEA Games here, Norza Zakaria said officials who accompanied the athletes were not here on a 'holiday' but rather worked very hard to play a supporting role for the athletes. "There is no such thing as a free trip or holiday for officials. They were working very hard to ensure athletes were in tip top condition. There was no report of any official shirking his or her duties," he said. --BERNAMA