NIBONG TEBAL, July 5 — The National Sports Institute (NSI) has suggested that athlete training centres be equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) after China’s 17-year-old badminton player Zhang Zhi Jie died on the court during the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the NSI had contacted her about the matter and was looking into working with local councils to require all training centres to have AEDs as part of their safety procedure.
“This is important to ensure the safety of athletes when training. Actually, some local councils have already set this condition, that’s why there needs to be further discussion about it,” she said when met after the Healthy Community Cycling Programme in Sungai Bakap here last night.
In addition to making AEDs compulsory at training centres, she said it is important to ensure there are officers trained to handle the device.
Meanwhile, on concerns raised over the condition of the Bukit Jalil National Stadium field, which will be used as a venue for a Bruno Mars concert on September 17, Yeoh assured the field will not be affected.
“For the concert at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, I have put out a moratorium that no structure can be placed on the grass.
“If the organiser wants to build a stage and such, it has to be on the track, not on the field,” she said.
— Bernama
