PETALING JAYA: The row over unpaid RM5,000 cash prizes for Malaysia’s top athletes of the year between 1966 and 1982 has deepened, with athletics greats pushing back against remarks by Marina Chin.

Chin, sportswoman of the year in 1976 and 1977, had said in a press statement that athletes of her era could not accept direct cash rewards without risking their amateur status. She said the prize money was channelled instead to national sports associations.

But national champions say she was not privy to what happened when the awards were introduced.Marina Chin, sportswoman of the year in 1976 and 1977, whose remarks on the cash prize controversy have drawn angry responses from fellow athletics greats.

They insist they were told their cash incentives would be kept for them and paid upon retirement. “I am sorry if I have misunderstood the understanding of the rest,” Marina later told FMT in response to criticism. “I am not a spokesperson for anybody. I just voiced my opinion as I knew it because there are always two sides to a story.

“And it is not fair to paint a bad picture of NSAs, MSN and KBS who are trying their level best to develop sports in our beloved country.” She denied ever telling M Rajamani that she received RM3,000 for her second award in 1977, as alleged.

“I do not remember ever telling her that. I did not receive the money. Anyway, checking will show that the amount in 1977 was RM2,000,” she said. Marina stressed that she was not denying what others had been told. “I was not privy to the conversation they had with the late Tun Ghazali Shafie. Recollections may vary.”

“It’s my money”

Rajamani, Malaysia’s first sportswoman of the year in 1966, was blunt in her rebuttal. “For a person who knew nothing about what happened when I got the award, Marina is confusing everyone,” she said.

She recalled Ghazali, then president of the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU), telling her the money would be given to her upon retirement. “How would Marina know all this when she was just a schoolgirl then?” she asked.

Rajamani, who also won the award in 1967, said she never received her RM10,000 total. In 1991, she wrote to MAAU asking how the money had been used but never got a reply. “Instead, I was kept away from MAAU activities. I became the black sheep,” she said. She added that if she ever received the money, she would use it to help needy athletes.

“She wasn’t there”

Race walking great V Subramaniam, sportsman of the year in 1978, said he too was promised his award after retirement. “Was Marina there when this happened?” he asked. He said Ghazali personally assured him after he handed over his prize cheque, with then assistant secretary Thangathurai as the witness.

Khoo Chong Beng, the 1975 winner, said the same promise, made to him by Ghazali, should be honoured. Junaidah Aman, sportswoman of the year in 1971 and 1972, was “disappointed” by Marina’s remarks. “Who is she to speak on our behalf? What does she know about what was spoken by Ghazali to the winners?” she said.

Athletics all-rounder Zaiton Othman, the 1982 sportswoman of the year, said she never received her RM5,000, and neither did sprinter Rabuan Pit, the sportsman of the year in the same year.

“Thanks to Subramaniam, Chong Beng and Rajamani for tirelessly and endlessly fighting not only for their rights but also the rights of the other award winners,” said Zaiton. It is believed all winners between 1966 and 1982 may have been affected. Some athletes did not want to talk about it, failed to reply to messages, while others could not be reached.

What a mess

In her earlier statement, Marina said she had been made to understand at the time that accepting cash would have affected her amateur status. “All financial allocations were routed through the associations to fund talent development, training and competition participation,” she said.

She urged the national sports council and sports associations to publish records of how funds from the awards were disbursed. “If a review finds any shortfalls or legitimate claims, corrective action should be taken honourably,” she said.

The wider controversy erupted after FMT reported that at least 10 top athletes never received their awards, including hockey great M Mahendran, cycling legend Ng Joo Ngan, bowling champion JB Koo and badminton icon Sylvia Ng. The youth and sports ministry has since said it will help resolve the issue. Malaysia Athletics has formed a task force to investigate.

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation has repaid the RM5,000 to Mahendran, while the national cycling federation has pledged to pay Ng Joo Ngan his cash prize from 1970.