Karim, who was elected as MAF president in 2014, said however that it was too early to decide if he will defend the top post in the June elections.

“It depends on my family because they are tired of reading ‘putar belit’ (twisted) articles in the media.

“But it is too early … we will cross the bridge when we come to it.

“I am a volunteer in MAF, no one pays my salary, including our government. Wait till the June elections, let the (MAF) council decide whether they still want me or otherwise,” he told Bernama.

There have been calls for Karim to resign from MAF after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) removed him from their ruling council in May last year.

Karim appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision of the IAAF vetting panel but it was dismissed on Dec 17.

Media reports had linked his removal to a documentary made by German public broadcaster ARD in March 2016 accusing Karim of covering up doping practices in Malaysia.

The MAF, then known as the Malaysian Athletics Union, had banned Karim for six years in 2012 for allegedly assisting six national athletes who had refused to undergo doping tests by the National Sports Institute (NSI) in 2011.

Karim brought the case to the High Court here, which annulled the ban before he was elected MAF president at the end of 2014.

“The IAAF did not find me guilty for anything, they removed me because of administrative matters.

“This is what IAAF told the CAS when I asked them on what grounds they found me guilty.

“IAAF’s stand is very clear on the matter. I still have a good relationship with IAAF,” he said.