KUALA LUMPUR – National sepak takraw head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun has criticised the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee’s (AINAGOC) proposal to replace the men’s regu (three-a-side) event with the men’s doubles event at the 2026 Asian Games.
Speaking to Scoop, Ahmad, who led the national regu team to win the World Cup last year, said that the organising committee should not be selective in choosing and replacing events, simply to favour the host, especially given their inability to adapt to the modern demands of the game.
He also stated that AINAGOC should have consulted both the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation (ASTAF) and the International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) before making such a suggestion.
“This is something unfair by AINAGOC, and they shouldn’t propose scrapping a prestigious event just because they are not good at it.
“Just because they (Japan) are incapable doesn’t mean that countries, such as Malaysia, which excel in the regu event, should become victims of their failings.
“Regu has been a traditional event contested in previous editions of the Asian Games, including the Hangzhou edition and all editions of the World Cup. No one has the right to simply break the culture and tradition of the event, which has been practised for decades.
“We should be moving forward instead of backwards, as the demand for doubles events is not as engaging and has not been receiving great support from countries or tournaments organised worldwide, as stated by both ASTAF and ISTAF.
“In fact, the doubles event has already started to become irrelevant, as it has been scrapped from the SEA Games and future World Cup editions.
“So why is AINAGOC not following the directions set by ASTAF and ISTAF and making changes on a whim to favour the host nation? This is concerning, and I hope that the traditional regu event will be protected at all costs, and the proposal should not be approved,” said Ahmad when contacted.
However, Ahmad is confident that his team would still be able to adapt to the doubles event in case AINAGOC’s proposal goes through.
Malaysia was crowned champions in the doubles event last year, overcoming Thailand 17-16, 15-13 in the ISTAF World Cup final. However, ISTAF has since revealed that the event will be omitted from future World Cup editions.
“If the proposal goes through, we will have no choice but to adapt to the changes and prepare ourselves for the doubles event, in which we are familiar and have a track record of becoming world champions.
“I have trained my players to be versatile, and they can bring glory to the nation in any kind of event. Let’s see what the outcome will be in the next few months,” Ahmad added.
It was reported that ASTAF will not rush into accepting host Japan’s proposal to replace the regu event and will consult with its affiliates before making a decision.
To date, Malaysia has won a total of 19 Asian Games medals (four golds, 10 silvers, and five bronze) in sepak takraw since the sport was introduced in the 1990 Beijing edition. – February 28, 2025