PUTRAJAYA: The volleyball coach who was caught on camera slapping his players recently will no longer be allowed to train in school, says Hannah Yeoh.
The Youth and Sports Minister said that the Malaysian Volleyball Association (Mava) has revoked the coach's licence.
Yeoh and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek made the announcement at a press conference after the Mava revoked the coach’s licence via its legal and disciplinary committee.
Yeoh said as an initial step, the sports coach who was also a teacher was no longer allowed to be a sports coach, including being a coach for school students.
The coach held a Volleyball Coaching Certificate (Sport Specific) Level 1 provided by Mava. He had yet to apply for the coaching licence provided by the National Coaching Licensing Scheme (SLKK) and the National Coaching Certification Scheme (SPKK) as agreed by the National Coaching Academy (AKK), National Sports Institute with other national sports associations.
In responding to the revocation of the coach’s eligibility to coach, Yeoh and Fadhlina Sidek asserted that there would be no compromise when it comes to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of athletes, particularly the younger generation as any harm inflicted on them could jeopardise their future.
Yeoh said the National Sports Council and Mava had concluded their investigations and had unanimously decided that the coach should lose his eligibility to coach.
“The incident has highlighted the need to enforce the requirement that all coaches to school children be part of the SLKK and SPKK,” she said.
She said Education Ministry would work closely with the National Sports Institute to equip coaches at schools with the required certification.
“This is to ensure a safe, healthy, mutually respectful environment, and free from any form of harassment and abuse,” she said.
A video showing a volleyball coach slapping two of his players during a break after they conceded points to their opponents had gone viral on social media.
It happened after the Under-14 Youth Volleyball Championship B-14 2022 in the girls' category ended on Dec 16, 2022.
The coach was appointed to lead the team during the Under-14 Junior Volleyball Championship by the Melaka Volleyball Association.
Melaka youth, sports and non-governmental organisations committee chairman VP Shanmugam has since said parents of both teenagers have accepted an apology from the coach.
