UM DESIGNATED AS TRAINING CENTRE FOR COMBAT SPORTS - NSC

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- The National Sports Council (NSC) and the University of Malaya (UM) today reached an agreement to designate the nation's higher education institution as the national training center for combat sports.

According to a statement from the NSC, the understanding was reached between its Director-General Jefri Ngadirin and UM Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Seri Ir Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman, during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two parties at UM.

"The NSC highly appreciates UM's willingness to become this national training center, and it will be utilised to house the national development athletes. NSC would like to thank UM, which also agreed to provide accommodation, training centers, and sports science service facilities," Jefri said in the same statement.

Jefri said the development athletes identified to be placed at the training center will also be selected based on their eligibility to pursue studies at the country's oldest university.

Through the memorandum signed today, Jefri said UM agreed to offer more flexible entry requirements to athletes in MSN programmes, in addition to other facilities such as the exemption of co-curricular activity credits and leave to participate in international tournaments.

He said NSC also plans to extend this opportunity to athletes from the states who meet the eligibility requirements.

Also offered through the MoU, which is spearheaded by the Malaysian Athlete Career and Education (MACE) Secretariat of MSN, are facilities for athletes to extend their study period to ensure their development as athletes is not affected, as well as various high-standard facilities owned by UM that can be fully utilised by the national development athletes.

-- BERNAMA