KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — The Malaysian Amateur Boxing Federation (MABF) plans to make changes by creating a more professional training ground environment as well as by hiring foreign coaches to strengthen the national elite squad for several championships next year.

Its deputy president Mohd Iruan Zulkifli said he would meet with representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) to apply for allocation to improve the current national boxing training centre at the Keramat National Sports Council (NSC) Complex.

“MABF plans to make changes that will not only involve the coaching structure, it will also touch on aspects of the training facility that are considered key to providing comfort to the country’s boxers.

“It needs to be done as some of the equipment available at the training centre are already 20 years old. The expenditure will not be that huge but it can change the spirit and mind of an athlete and can have a positive impact on their performance.

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“Looking at the current situation, I don’t think they even feel that “wow” factor. It’s the same old thing since way back when,” he said when met by Bernama recently.

Mohd Iruan explained the changes would include boxing rings, improvements to gym equipment and even a new punching bag, including changing its position to a wider space.

He said the current position of the punching bag which is too close to the wall restricted the movement of national boxers during training.

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In another development, Mohd Iruan said the selection of six coaches from Russia, Cuba and Kazakhstan was in the final stages and would be announced latest by September.

He said local coaches would be appointed as assistant coaches to enable them to gain knowledge and experience from foreign coaches.

“Of course, we want to achieve success and to win various championships at all levels, but for starters we want to win a medal at the SEA 2021 Games in Hanoi,” he said.

At the same time, he said all 10 ‘Podium Programme’ athletes and six back-up athletes had registered and taken the Covid-19 test at the Bukit Jalil National Sports Council (MSN) today.

They will be stationed at the NSC Keramat Complex, while full training is expected to begin this Thursday after the results of the Covid-19 test have been obtained, he said. — Bernama