KUALA LUMPUR: The Road to Gold (RTG) programme committee is set to hold an evaluation meeting tomorrow which could see a number of big name athletes dropped.
With only nine months left until the Paris Olympics, sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli believes it is time to whittle down the list of athletes in the programme.
"We are getting closer and closer to the Olympics and I believe it is now time that this RTG longlist is turned into a shortlist," said Pekan when contacted today.
"The athletes under this programme have already been given the opportunity to prove themselves.
"Now we have to begin truly focusing on helping the athletes, who realistically have the potential to win gold and other medals, to improve their peformances.
"The athletes who remain in the programme will also have greater certainty and will not have to keep worrying about whether they will be dropped from the programme."
Pekan is of the opinion that shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (doubles), Ng Tze Yong and Lee Zii Jia, track cyclists Azizulhasni Awang and Shah Firdaus Sahrom as well as divers Pandelela Rinong and Nur Dhabitah Sabri should be among those retained.
"It is not clear cut (gold medal chances) for any of these athletes in Paris, however, they do have a fighting chance."
RTG is an elite athlete preparation programme intended to provide cream-of-the-crop athletes the additional support they need to challenge for gold in Paris, Los Angeles 2028 and other major international competitions.
The programme was launched by Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh in March and an initial group of 15 athletes — most of whom are badminton players — were added to the programmme in April.
A number of other athletes including Tze Yong and the national hockey squad were added in June.
Paralympic Council of Malaysia (MPC) president Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin echoed Pekan's sentiments.
"There has been a lot of money put into this programme, and the athletes have been given almost everything they requested for," said Shahriman today.
"I firmly believe that those who have not performed should immediately be dropped from the programme.
"We should be focusing on those who have performed and also give an opportunity to others. There are also other athletes who deserve a chance.
"The hockey team should definitely be out of the programme as it is unlikely they will qualify for the Olympics as should many of the shuttlers.
"I have always stressed that funding and support should be given on merit. I am not being a sour grape just because para sports have not been included in this (RTG)."
Shahriman is owner of the Hockademy hockey club and is also former Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association President.
The national hockey team failed to make it past the group stage at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which served as a continental Olympic qualifier for the sport.