MNCF Regrets Indonesia's Plan To Drop Keirin From 2018 Asian Games

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) has regretted Indonesia’s plan to drop three track cycling events from the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. Its president, Abu Samah Abd Wahab said the absence of the keirin will deny world keirin champion Mohd Azizulhasni Awang the chance of winning the gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games. “It can also jeopardise the chances of the Pocket Rocketman to collect points to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. "The Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) has expressed its disappointment and has sent a letter to the president of the Asian Olympic Council, Syeikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, to protest the plan," he added. In a letter dated July 19, ACC secretary-general Ongkar Singh revealed that the 2018 Asian Games Organising Committee plans to drop three Olympic Games events. The three Olympic Games events are the keirin, the team sprint, the men’s sprint and the women’s sprint. "The ACC is very concerned about Indonesia's plan to drop three very popular track cycling events from the 2018 Asian Games. “This is because many Asian riders had won medals in the keirin events in the Olympic Games over the years," said Abu Samah. The 2018 Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia from Aug 18 to Sept 2. -- BERNAMA