FTAAA to organise own marathon
THERE could well be two international marathons in Kuala Lumpur this year as the Federal Territory Amateur Athletic Association (FTAAA) is adamant on staging its flagship event.
But by its own admission, FTAAA does not appear to be the innocent victim it is making itself to be over the tussle to stage the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon.
FTAAA senior vice-president Leo Leslie Armstrong admitted they had ample time to secure a title sponsor for its flagship event even as they became aware of the Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union's (MAAU) plans to stage a rival marathon.
"All this while the title sponsor had been secured with the help of Kuala Lumpur City Hall. When AmBank Group decided to withdraw as sponsors in June, we left it to City Hall to secure a sponsor.
"But we did not anticipate the events which were to unfold," said Armstrong at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Instead, FTAAA registered the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon and Kuala Lumpur Marathon as trademarks with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia to preempt MAAU from taking over its event.
"We had numerous meetings with the MAAU president (Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim) who each time assured us we would be organising the event," added Armstrong.
"But then they (MAAU) signed an agreement with a private company (Octagon-Asia) to organise a marathon in Kuala Lumpur but it was never tabled, discussed or endorsed by the council or the executive board.
"Nor was it circulated to the board members for their views, comments or objections. Till this day, FTAA has not sighted this agreement. There are many grey areas which have left us all confused."
But Armstrong said FTAAA will not accept defeat and has lodged a letter of complaint with the Sports Commissioner's Office "on the irregularities and non-compliance of established procedures that MAAU failed to adhere when the agreement between the deputy president of MAAU (Karim Ibrahim) and the private company was signed."
"The FTAAA council was also unanimous in deciding to stage KLIM. We will be going on (with our plans) irrespective of whether there is a title sponsor.
"KLIM was originally pencilled in for Feb 22, but Armstrong said they may have to find another date to hold the event, which must also avoid clashing with MAAU's June 28 marathon.
"We still have to work out the logistics but we are adamant KLIM cannot be used by anyone else," he said.
And what about obtaining a sanction for KLIM from MAAU?
"We will have to test the waters," added Armstrong.
*email from Choi / New Straits Times
2 comments:
I think this has been resolved:
March 03, 2009 23:31 PM
Dispute On KL Marathon 2009 Resolved
KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Bernama) -- The dispute on the organising of the inaugural Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009 has finally been resolved when the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) and the Federal Territory Amateur Athletics Union (FTAAU) reached a decision at a meeting on Tuesday.
MAAU president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the MAAU would act as the organisers of the championship to be held on June 28 while the FTAAU would collaborate in terms of giving technical assistance.
"Whatever problems that cropped up with the FTAAU have been resolved at the meeting amicably for mutual benefits," he told reporters here Tuesday.
He hoped the inaugural event would attract 12,000 participants from within and outside the country.
Shahidan said the MAAU was now waiting for the licence from the Sports Commissioner's Office and hoped it would be approved immediately because the problem with the FTAAU had been resolved.
The dispute started when the FTAAU, which is also an affiliate of the MAAU, claimed that the KL International Marathon (KLIM) was the brainchild of the FTAAU since it was introduced in 1984 and the hosting of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon by the national parent body was akin to robbing its right.
-- BERNAMA
Thanks for the news....it really a good news to all of us
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