The Olympic Council of Malaysia fully supports the decision of the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee to host the Tokyo Olympic Games from 23 July to 8 August 2021.
We are pleased that the new dates have been confirmed sooner rather than later as it provides calmness to the sports community particularly those athletes who have endured mental stress during this period of uncertainty.
Not only will the 12-month postponement allow all our resources to focus on fighting COVID-19 and keeping everyone safe, but also sufficient time for our athletes to reboot and return to their peak condition.
We will work with the IOC and International Federations to ensure that the Games will be a fair and equitable Games particularly in relation to the qualification process. Locally, we will continue close coordination with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, our members and athletes, and other stakeholders to ensure our athletes’ preparation for that elusive Olympic gold medal remains on track.
We look forward to the Games in 2021 and am sure it will live up to its promise of Tokyo 2020. I have no doubt that as a team, we will overcome this adversity and all be better because of it.
DATO’ SRI NORZA ZAKARIA
PRESIDENT, OLYMPIC COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA
31 MARCH 2020
Dato’ Sieh Kok Chi was born on the 8th of November 1938. After his retirement in 1991, as an Engineer in the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia, Dato’ Sieh chose to continue his involvement, full time, in the field of sports, where his life-long passion was, especially in the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
Born on 21st March 1949, Y.A.M Tunku Tan Sri Imran is the second son of the late Tuanku Jaafar, an elected monarch of the Negeri Sembilan. Tunku Imran was educated in the UK at the King’s School, Canterbury and studied law at Nottingham University before being called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn, London in 1971 and qualifying as a Barrister at Law.