Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Conspiracy of Jack Ho Part 2: Racism in Sports

It has finally come to my worst nightmare after all these years, as I have been worrying so much about it yet it has finally come true. Ever since I took up sports, the fight in my heart for achievement has always been strong and well focused. But just yet, I have also always bear in my there is another game to be faced as well which is the unfair judgment from sport council. I don’t depend so much on the national sport council after all because all the while I knew they have been treating athletes with favourism and racism. Since I was young, I have always told myself not to bother about them and stand on my own to achieve what I want in my life, but still I have come to a point where in order to represent the country there are procedures need to be followed accordingly.

When I knew the procedures have to be taken into account in order for me to step further into my dream and goal, I knew I would eventually encounter the worst nightmare of my life. Recent competition was Sarawak International Triathlon, I did great and it was the best performance I ever had. I clocked 2:05.46 and was placed 9th in the International Category, and 1st in the Sarawak Category. With the best result I ever had, I was advised to appeal to the Malaysia Triathlon Association to race in International Triathlon Elite group. Then, the first outcome of the appeal was favourism as the chairman said I wasn’t good enough because I am not as good as his son. Yet, his son shared the same standard as I do but it is just that I could not outrun him during the running leg. Thus, I admitted that I’m not as good as his son is with sincerity and honesty.

Then, with my time being clocked the fastest within Sarawak among all Sarawakian triathlete, I was named the overall champion. I thought with such performance I can at least represent the state as everyone has expected so because there is no one else who can beat me, even the closest guy behind me was 1 minute gap. Besides, the Sarawak Triathlon Association has also promised me sponsorships to compete in other races as I performed well and they would choose me to represent the state as I was named the best and finest. Yet, these were all empty promises and lies. Last year, they told they did not have budgets to send us out for races but yet people came asking me Sarawak team presented in the Port Dickson International Triathlon and why I wasn’t there? I was shocked when everyone asked me the same question as the association has told me that they had no money, so it came to a point where everybody started to realize something has gone wrong because the athletes they sent were those who lost to me all the time. After hearing all these unfair selections they had or lies, I started to lost my trust in them and told myself not to be too optimistic for this year. Then, a day ago a friend who is a Chinese from the sport council contacted me to ask if I am gonna compete in Desaru Half-Ironman in August because the Sarawak Triathlon Association is sending a team and the selection has been done. I was surprised to hear this somehow because I was never contacted, so I confirm with my friend that I was never told by the association about it. Then, my friend told me they selected the top 3 best triathletes in Sarawak to represent, he thought I was in it because I clocked the best time in Sarawak but he was wrong. So he told me all the 3 seats were given to the malays, and I know who are those 3 because they were so far behind me during the race and only manage to finish after 10 minutes I have. It is a big disappointment indeed as we all could see how unfair as they play favourism and racism in their system. Just because I’m Chinese so I’m not good enough to carry the name Sarawak even though I was born here? If they think they can do better than I am, but I guess I can even do better than they think as I know I will do even better next year or the race. I’m up for it because triathlon is in my blood. They may take away my name from the list, but they will never get to take away my pride because people will always know. So I’m not depending on our pathetic government anymore as we all could see how unfair they are.

Thus, it has come to a point where why Malaysia can never improve themselves in this world, for some reason that everyone know. However, with the anger I have right now I do keep myself calm and not to bother about any of these anymore. I still can catch my dream and goal, and achieve to greater distances. Faith I have, and it is me who can never be taken away.

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