Lee Chong Wei digantung & UIA dikunci dan bergelap...

Pemain badminton terhandal negara, yang disahkan positif mengambil bahan terlarang dexamethasone digantung buat sementara waktu, menunggu sesi pendengaran ujian rawak oleh Persekutuan Badminton Dunia (BWF).

Timbalan presiden Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) Datuk Mohamad Norza Zakaria berkata, sesi tersebut dijadualkan berlangsung dalam tempoh dua minggu.

Bagaimanapun, BAM enggan menamakan pemain tersebut atas alasan mengikut peraturan BWF, walaupun spekulasi mengatakan ia melibatkan pemain nombor satu dunia negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei.

Sebelum ini dilaporkan Lee terlibat dalam skandal tersebut selepas kesan dexamethasone dijumpai dalam air kencingnya (sampel A) semasa ujian rawak yang dijalankan di Kejohanan Dunia.

Dexamethasone adalah sejenis steroid dengan fungsi anti-radang, biasanya digunakan untuk membantu pemulihan atlet.

Norza memberitahu sidang media yang penuh sesak itu nama pemain tersebut akan didedahkan sebaik pendengaran rayuan selesai.

Beliau berkata BWF sudahpun memaklumkan BAM semalam tentang sampel B pamain itu yang diuji positif bagi bahan larangan anti-radang demaxathesone.

"Dengan segala proses yang sedang berjalan, kita masih belum bebas untuk mendedahkan nama pemain," katanya.

Bagaimanapun, Norza mengakui pemain yang identitinya masih dirahsiakan pernah dirawat kerana kecederaan paha pada bulan Julai.

Lee dilaporkan menerima rawatan kecederaan di paha pada masa itu dan menarik diri daripada Sukan Komanwel di Glasgowyang diadakan dari 23 Julai hingga 3 Ogos untuk pulih.

Sebelum ini Menteri Belia dan Sukan Khairy Jamaluddin dilaporkan sebagai berkata, siasatan menyeluruh mengenai sejarah perubatan pemain badminton baru-baru ini mendedahkan dadah itu diberikan pada 17 Julai untuk merawat kecederaan paha.

Lee melalui ujian dadah secara rambang semasa Kejohanan Dunia di Copenhagen pada 30 Ogos. Beliau terbang ke Norway untuk menyaksikan sendiri sampel B itu dibuka di Oslo pada 5 November.

Beliau berdepan digantung dua tahun jika sabit kesalahan pada sesi pendengaran BWF.

Awal hari ini, BAM menerima pengesahan daripada BWF hasil ujian ke atas sampel B yang mengesahkan wujudnya deksametason.

Menegaskan dadah itu bukan untuk meningkatkan prestasi, Norza yang juga pengerusi jawatankuasa kerja anti-doping BAM, menyatakan pemain berkenaan sebagai seorang yang "bekerja keras dan individu luar biasa", sambil menambah BAM akan menyediakan semua sokongan yang diperlukan untuk membantu pemain itu.

"Kami juga percaya pemain ini tidak pernah menggunakan 'jalan pintas' dalam usahanya mencapai kejayaan.

"Oleh itu, dalam mesyuarat majlis yang terakhir, bersetuju sebulat suara memberikan sokongan dalam semua aspek untuk pemain ini," katanya.

Norza mendedahkan, BAM turut mengupah seorang peguam berpangkalan di London, Mike Morgan daripada Morgan Sports Law LP untuk membantu pemain semasa sesi pendengaran akan datang.

Ketika ditanya sama ada pemain itu dinasihatkan oleh doktor mengambil ubat tersebut atau keputusan sendiri, Norza berkata beliau tidak dapat memastikan perkara itu.

"Kita tidak berada dalam kedudukan untuk memberi komen dengan pasti mengenai perkara ini. Kami sedang melihat dari semua sudut puncanya," katanya.

Beliau juga enggan mengulas lanjut mengenai kemungkinan senario terburuk bagi pemain itu disabitkan dengan dadah berikutan pendengaran tetapi berkata, BAM "bekerja keras" bagi memastikan keputusan yang positif.

"Kami tidak akan melalui semua ini proses membersihkan namanya kalau bukan untuk mendapatkan hasil yang positif.

"Kami mempunyai alasan kukuh pemain ini tidak bersalah. Kami mempunyai alasan dan sebab sendiri untuk melakukan semua ini," katanya. – tmi

Sample B 'positive', shuttler suspended...

A national shuttler has been suspended from competitions pending a hearing after his second urine sample has again come back positive.

Badminton Association Malaysia (BAM) deputy president Norza Zakaria (below, however, said that Badminton World Federation regulations bars it from identifying the shuttler.

"We are informed by the Badminton World Federation that this matter will be referred to the BWF Doping Hearing Panel and now, due process will take place...

"Therefore, with this due process taking place, we are still at no liberty to reveal the name of the player," he told a press conference at Bukit Kiara.

Norza also stressed that dexamethasone, a substance found in the sample tested in Oslo, Norway on Nov 5, is not a performance enhancement drug.

It is widely-reported that the shuttler is world number one Lee Chong Wei.

Lee was also reported to have witnessed the unsealing of the second sample, dubbed 'sample B', prior to the testing.

The substance which was also found in the first test is a substance with anti-inflammatory properties.

Lee had gone through a random doping test during the World Championships in Copenhagen on Aug 30.

He risks a ban from the sport for up to two years.

The BAM was first informed of the doping claim on Oct 1 and had formed a committee to look into the matter.

BAM had previously said it was "shattered" by the news, but reserved comment until 'sample B' was tested.

"I would like to inform you that we believe that this player is a very hard working player and an exceptional individual.

"We also believe that this player has never resorted to shortcuts in his pursuit to achieve success," he said.

He said BAM will support and has provided legal assistance, through the London-based firm Morgan Sports Law LLP who specialises on such issues.- mk

Chong Wei's sample B tests positive

UIA dikunci, bergelap untuk halang himpunan...

Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) bertindak memadamkan lampu dan mengunci pintu pagar utamanya untuk menghentikan satu perhimpunan mahasiswa di kampus berkenaan pada malam tadi.

Akibatnya, beratus-ratus pelajar terpaksa berhimpun di luar kampus di bawah pengawasan pihak keselamatan kampus dan polis.

Menurut presiden Persatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (PMUM) Fahmi Zainol, UIA memaklumkan bahawa tindakan itu dibuat bagi menghalang Fahmi dan profesor undang-undang Abdul Aziz Bari daripada berucap.

Menurut Fahmi, arahan itu dikeluarkan oleh Timbalan Rektor Hal Ehwal Pelajar UIA, Datuk Dr Mizan Hitam kerana perhimpunan tersebut menampikan beliau dan juga Aziz Bari.

Sementara itu, dalam satu kiriman emel kepada Malaysiakini, Aziz memberitahu bahawa beliau dihalang masuk ke kampus di Gombak, Selangor itu atas alasan "keselamatan".

"Mizan Hitam beritahu kami, Fahmi Zainol dan Abdul Aziz Bari tidak dibenarkan masuk kampus,” kata Fahmi yang merupakan penganjur bersama program itu ketika dihubungi.

"Saya tiba di kampus sekitar jam 9.30 malam dan tidak dibenar masuk oleh pihak keselamatan yang memetik alasan keselamatan.

"Saya dikelilingi pihak keselamatan, termasuklah polis dan terpaksa beredar," katanya.- mk

UIA locks up, goes dark to stop student rally...

After Universiti Malaya, another public university turned off the lights and locked its main gate to stop a student rally on campus.

As a result, hundreds of students were forced to gather outside the campus gates under the watch of campus security and police.

According to UM student council president Fahmi Zainol, UIA had told students that this is because the rally was to feature speeches from Fahmi and law professor Abdul Aziz Bari.

"(UIA deputy rector for student affairs) Mizan Hitam told us Fahmi Zainol and Abdul Aziz Bari are not allowed on campus," Fahmi, who is a co-organiser, said when contacted.

In an email to Malaysiakini, Abdul Aziz (left) said campus security barred him from entering the campus in Gombak, Selangor citing "security" reasons.

"I arrived at about 9.30pm and was not allowed by the security personnel to enter, citing security reasons…

"I was surrounded by security personnel, including police, and had to leave," he said.

Aziz taught at UIA from 1989 to 2011, when he was forced to leave for remarks critical of the Selangor sultan.

He said that Mizan was also present to monitor the situation.

He addressed students at the gates at about 11.30pm.

Also at the rally was UM law lecturer Azmi Sharom and other student leaders.

Mizan has not responded to Malaysiakini's calls or text messages.

National tour

Fahmi said that the rally last night was part of the 'Jelajah Mahasiswa, Bebaskan Universiti' (Student Tour to Free Universities).

The tour is organised by the Pro-Mahasiswa Nasional coalition on campuses nationwide, following the groundbreaking Oct 27 rally in UM.

The next stop of the tour is Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) where Fahmi (below) expects, a heavier crackdown.

"I believe it will be worse in UMS as they’re more strict in Sabah compared to the peninsula," he said.

He also notes that the students have not received clearance from UMS campus officials.

After that, the students will head to Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang and the Penang campus of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM) on Nov 15 and Universiti Utara Malaysia in Kedah on Nov 16.

On Oct 27, about 2,000 students and supporters barged into the UM campus after campus officials locked the main gate to stop a rally featuring PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Eight UM students, including Fahmi, are facing disciplinary action over the rally.- mk

cheers.