MA technical director, Robert Ballard, said recent media reports suggesting a boycott by several athletes were entirely untrue. He said no attempt was made to verify the information with him prior to publication.
He said he was seeking legal advice to protect his image and reputation, Bernama reported.
According to the reports, several sprinters decided to boycott Ballard’s training programme over the past month and had received threats of expulsion from the programme if they expressed dissatisfaction with his management of the programme.
Yesterday, the National Sports Council said a meeting with athletes and the athletics federation would be held next week on allegations of a boycott of Ballard’s programme.
NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said he hoped to get more detailed information on the matter, which came to light after a meeting on the federation’s request to appoint six new coaches.
Ballard, an Australian, was appointed in June 2023. He said today decisions about athlete participation were made through consultation between MA and the NSC and “never through intimidation or personal discretion”.
He said the athletics federation had long supported the decentralisation of training with the aim of enabling regional training hubs, elite athlete autonomy and enhanced coach-athlete partnerships.
Ballard said the federation would respect and support an athlete’s decision to train under a decentralised arrangement, provided the structure remained performance-based, transparent and in line with the athlete’s obligations with the NSC.
“Flexibility is welcomed, but must operate within a framework of accountability, clear reporting, and oversight,” Bernama quoted him as saying.
On the departure of national sprint coach Poad Kassim, Ballard said neither MA nor NSC received any formal notice regarding his resignation to take up a new position in another state.
He said the sudden exit created a coaching gap, which MA addressed by implementing an interim training structure under his supervision supported by other national sprint coaches to ensure continuity for affected athletes.
An international and domestic search had been initiated to fill the restructured coaching framework, including the position of international head coach for sprints. Suitable candidates were identified, and MA entered negotiations with MSN on contract terms and multi-year funding.
“Unfortunately, delays in the final appointment process led to the withdrawal of not only a preferred domestic sprint coach but also two high-calibre international candidates across other disciplines,” he said.
Ballard acknowledged the lack of a dedicated hammer throw coach since the 2022 Asian Games. He said he respected Jackie Wong’s decision to train in China and pass on his vast competitive experience into coaching.
He said the federation intended to formalise the engagement of a 1992 Olympic medalist and Cuban hammer throw expert as national hammer throw coach.