KUALA LUMPUR, May 23: The Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) is exploring opportunities to collaborate with Hungary in a bid to raise the standard of para-sports in the country, particularly at the grassroots level.
PCM president Datuk Seri Megat D.Shahriman Zaharudin said that one of the initiatives of the collaboration that will be carried out is to learn from Hungary an efficient way to search for new talent.
He said the collaboration would also focus on exploring sports diplomacy as practised in European countries through Hungary, as well as the exchange of national para-athletes through “sports tourism”.
“Alhamdullillah, the Ambassador of Hungary to Malaysia came to PCM to visit our facilities. We have established bilateral ties with Hungary and our para-athletes will go to Hungary. This is the first step for this year.
“More importantly, is diplomacy in sports. I believe we can learn from Hungary… their coaching ecosystem, associations and also talent search,” he told reporters during the visit of the Ambassador of Hungary to Malaysia Dr Petra Ponevács-Pana to the PCM at the Malaysia Paralympic Sports Excellence Centre here today.
Megat D. Shahriman said the PCM also used the opportunity to learn more about the sport of teqball, founded by Hungary in 2014.
During the visit, PCM secretary-general Datuk Subramaniam Raman gave a briefing on the background of PCM, while Ponevács-Pana spoke about the successes Hungary has achieved since 1972. – TVS
