Photo by Milena de Narvaez Ayllon from Pexels
Former Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is the notable absentee in the list of players selected to represent Malaysia at the South East Asian Games polo competition.
The Royal Malaysian Polo Association confirmed their selection of players for two divisions of the polo competition to be held at the Miguel Romero Polo Field in Calatangan, Batangas.
Unlike the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Games, there would be three medals at stake in Polo in the Philippines. The 0 Goals Mix event will be held from November 10 to 17 and the final is slated on November 29 – a day before the Games officially opens.
The 5-8 Goals competition that will take place from November 20-26, while the 2-4 Goals competition would be from December 2-9. Both these final matches are scheduled on December 9.
At the last Games, the inclusion of Khairy in the squad invited controversy with the Johor state ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar questioning the selection. The Sultan had even challenged the team to take on the Johor state team in a match to prove their worth.
The RMPA had then defended their selection and that Khairy was selected on merit. It is understood that Khairy did not offer himself for selection this time around.
With the exception of Khairy all the other players who helped Malaysia to the gold medal in 2017 have been named in the final squad.
Abdul Rashid Hasnan, Amran Selamat, Muhammad Faizal Abu Bakar, Shaik Reismann Ismail and YM Tengku Ahmad Shazril Ezzani Tengku Suleiman have all been selecetd for the A Division. Mohd Zulhelmi Nadzar, who was also a member of the gold medal winning team in 2017, has been included in the B Division squad.
Syed Ahmad Saipulrudin Sayed Mohd and Mohamad Shareizal bin Baseri make up the A Division squad.
Dato’ Mohamed Zekri has been appointed as the team manager with Shaik Reismann doubling up as the assistant team manager.
Argentinian Federico Bachmann, who coached the team in 2017, has been given the task once again.
The Malaysian Squads
A Division: Shaik Reismann bin Mohd Ismail, Y.M. Tengku Ahmad Shazril Ezzani Tg Sulaiman, Amran Selamat, Abdul Rashid Hasnan, Muhammad Faisal Abu Bakar, Syed Ahmad Saipulrudin Sayed Mohd, Mohamad Shareizal bin Baseri
B Division: Abdul Rashid bin Hasnan, Mohd Zulhelmie Nadzar, Yudie Fazly Jamili, Ybhg Dato’ Mohamad Sekri bin Dato Hj Ibrahim, Dr Azfar bin Mustapha, Imran Khan bin Mohamed Moiz, Keith Lee
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