Kuala lumpur: The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has acknowledged gaps and a communication breakdown that triggered controversy over national track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang's plans to pursue qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28). Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said the ministry took responsibility for the matter and would ensure communication issues between the athlete, National Sports Council (MSN), national sports association, and other parties would not recur.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohammed Taufiq emphasized the importance of good communication between MSN, the athlete, and the association to prevent any controversy or confusion in society. He addressed a press conference after an MSN briefing on the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and LA28 qualification process at Menara KBS.
Mohammed Taufiq stated that the decision to allow Azizulhasni to continue his LA28 mission had been agreed upon at an MSN Board meeting on August 13, after he directed the council to evaluate the matter. MSN issued the offer letter allowing Azizulhasni to continue his mission two days ago, while KBS received feedback from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist yesterday. Azizulhasni, a former world champion, has since agreed to accept the offer and continue serving the national team in the bid to achieve success at LA28.
The minister highlighted that the issue had been resolved, and the focus should now be on the next steps required for preparations towards LA28. Future discussions will involve Azizulhasni, the association, MSN, and the National Sports Institute (ISN) to determine the assistance and support needed.
The development follows MSN's confirmation on August 30 that it supports Azizulhasni as one of the national track cyclists tasked with accumulating LA28 qualification points alongside athletes under the Road to Gold (RTG) and MSN Podium programmes. Mohammed Taufiq also plans to hold a series of meetings and town hall sessions with athletes to ensure that issues can be identified and resolved more quickly.
Azizulhasni had uploaded a nine-page statement on Instagram last Friday detailing the LA28 qualification process and his career's future, seeking clear answers from KBS and MSN on whether his services were still required. MSN denied claims that it had disregarded his plans or failed to appreciate his contributions, stressing consistent support for The Pocket Rocketman, including his LA28 preparations.
Azizulhasni subsequently uploaded a video confirming that he had received the offer and would continue his mission to qualify for LA28, with the UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai in October among the key stages in the qualification campaign.