KUALA LUMPUR: As coach Poad Kassim recovers from a health problem, his athletes will remain in Bandar Penawar and follow the programme he laid out for them.
Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School principal Suhaimi Sun Abdullah said there are no plans to send sprinters Khairul Hafiz Jantan, Badrul Hisyam Manap and others to the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil in Poad's absence.
Poad is recovering from a lung infection after being hospitalised on Dec 24 and no time frame has been set for his return to coaching.
In the meantime, the athletes continue to train at the school under Poad's assistant Mas Murni Abdullah.
"Poad is improving every day and he has been moved from the intensive care unit to the normal ward," said Suhaimi on Thursday.
"However, we do not know yet when he will be released from hospital as he still requires treatment.
"Poad had laid out a training programme for his athletes before he fell ill and the athletes will continue to follow that programme.
"So there is no need for them to go to Bukit Jalil or anywhere else because they can train here without interruption."
Poad's situation and the programme for his sprinters are also expected to be discussed tomorrow when Malaysian Athletics Federation president Datuk Karim Ibrahim meets with all the national coaches to determine plans for 2018.
National chief coach Zainal Abas said an initial plan to send national 100m and 200m record holder Khairul to the Pre-Asian Games competition in Palembang on Feb 11-15 are among matters that need to be finalised.
Khairul has not run since the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in August, where he won gold in the 100m and finished fourth in the 200m after suffering a hamstring injury while running in the heats.