Nabil Luqman

0f9d2dd4f71434084e2b6094de1865e23abb37bb9f28ca51feeabee679ec9be2

Social

government

Olympics

Paris 2024

competition

difficulty

budget

Breakdance

lacking

allocation

As the Paris 2024 Olympics came to a close, many people noted that it was not only one of the most criticized Games but also one of the most humorous, largely due to the flood of memes that circulated online throughout the event.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://r2.myc.my/342eb4c3db9fd953a8ccdad5365b9e3bc3e209427772f7acf1eff5d297a6cae5" />
One of the standout moments of this year's Olympics was the introduction of breakdancing as an official sport. You might have also caught the widely shared clip of Australian breakdancer Raygun, whose routine became infamous after earning a total score of 0 points.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
me forcing my mom to watch the dance i made up in the pool <a href="https://t.co/zbtwEFjpTG">pic.twitter.com/zbtwEFjpTG</a>
&mdash; kenzi (@kenzianidiot) <a href="https://twitter.com/kenzianidiot/status/1822033653737857204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2024</a>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</blockquote>
You might have noticed that Malaysia didn&rsquo;t send a representative for breakdancing, despite the country's wealth of talented dancers. But why was that the case?
Malaysia Lacked Budget To Send Athletes
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/5d3e72dcc6b2463d364917d6c5a1a8dfdbad5e3d777966469e5819ec22635d8a" />
Local breakdancer and national athlete Firdaus &ldquo;Sora&rdquo; Nawir recently disclosed that Malaysia could have had a representative at the Olympics&mdash;if only there had been sufficient funding. Responding to a netizen's question about why Malaysia hasn't competed in Breaking, despite its vibrant breakdancing community, Firdaus explained, &ldquo;I had to finance my participation in each qualification competition myself. Qualifying for the Olympics is no easy feat. It got to the point where I had to stop competing overseas because I simply couldn&rsquo;t afford it.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Siapa kata tk hantar wakil. Pergi semua qualification semua pakai duit sendiri 🥲. Nk melayakkan diri ke Olympic tak senang boss. Sampai kami give up dah nk ikut semua qualification round untuk ke negara2 lain sebab tak cukup duit. <a href="https://t.co/J6GKLReMR3">https://t.co/J6GKLReMR3</a> <a href="https://t.co/uEw7EqENaR">pic.twitter.com/uEw7EqENaR</a>
&mdash; Sora as himself (@Firdaussora) <a href="https://twitter.com/Firdaussora/status/1822891112237060453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In case you weren't aware, Malaysia boasts local talents with a strong background in competitive breakdancing. Some of our national athletes have even earned multiple medals in the sport, including Sam Jee Lek, also known as Legosam, who secured a gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/5ce728c6c0788080d4ce3f6e2906bd825f1ec23a744e4eddfa9e9a08b82f87ac" />
However, qualifying for the Olympics is far from easy. Just like in sports such as golf, tennis, or swimming, breakdancing athletes must compete in numerous events to earn a qualification spot. These spots are only awarded at specific competitions, like the World Championships and the Olympic Qualifier Series, for those hoping to represent their country. While these competitions are open to anyone who wants to participate, the major challenge is that they are usually held overseas, making it prohibitively expensive for our local athletes to attend.
Netizens Disappointed At The Efforts Of The Government
After Firdaus tweeted about the lack of funding that forced him to abandon his attempts to compete overseas, many netizens expressed their disappointment. They lamented the government's failure to allocate more funds for national athletes, noting it was a missed opportunity not to have a representative in breakdancing given the potential for success.
Netizens also took the chance to thank Firdaus and other national breakdancing athletes for their dedication to representing Malaysia internationally, despite the lack of support from the government.
Here&rsquo;s some of the comments:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Sayangnya.. tak apa la Firdaus, tk ada rezeki di Olimpik mungkin ada rezeki di tempat lain. Harap lepas ni makin ramai yg sedar dan push Kerajaan atau mana&sup2; agensi utk scene sukan kita. Tgk attachment tu, bangga juga sbg rakyat Malaysia. Terima kasih atas usaha 🫡
&mdash; ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʟᴠᴇʀɪɴᴇ 🐺🏴 (@iam_ein) <a href="https://twitter.com/iam_ein/status/1822947962915525079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Come on la <a href="https://twitter.com/hannahyeoh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hannahyeoh</a> what happened to battleground kat astro dulu tu? Lepas habis, habis camtu je ke? Haritu kemain cakap pasal battleground ni kat dalam parlimen. I tunggu jugak kalau ada yang update jadi wakil Malaysia ended up khenobu pun tengok through tv je. Shame on u
&mdash; . (@agliolio_) <a href="https://twitter.com/agliolio_/status/1822955504144109865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Malaysia skang dh xda eh show mcm Showdown dulu? Kecik&sup2; dulu suka tengok. Skang mcm dh senyap ja. Org luar pun x dpat exposure pasal community break dance malaysia. Kot la malaysia boleh buat mcm Street Man/Woman Fighter version malaysia plak. Tunjuk bakat&sup2; anak malaysia.
&mdash; hwinim👻⁷ (@jtmnim) <a href="https://twitter.com/jtmnim/status/1822971337587192037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
imagine nak gi untuk volunteering je kena prepare rm20k, ni participate in the competition lagi&hellip;. idk laa
&mdash; sophie (@Suf1ya) <a href="https://twitter.com/Suf1ya/status/1822955557503848931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Malaysia ni bukan masalah kat atlet tapi pengurusan. Terbukti ramai gila aset yang kalau diberi peluang dan digilap dengan fasiliti dan latihan yang baik memang mampu sebaris negara&sup2; hebat luar sana. Tapi apakan daya kronisme menebal.
&mdash; blank (@blankhanz99) <a href="https://twitter.com/blankhanz99/status/1822956682802352366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Breaking Won&rsquo;t Be In LA 2028
Unfortunately, this year marked the debut and final appearance of breakdancing at the Olympics, as it will not return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. This means we&rsquo;ll be down one opportunity to compete for a gold medal. However, for the 2028 LA Olympics, five new sports will be added to the event lineup:
<ul>
<li>Cricket</li>
<li>Lacrosse</li>
<li>Baseball/ Softball</li>
<li>Flag Football</li>
<li>Squash</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/26f4f559f4f13a61ce795575ef8332ed10b14e25788075abb7d7d0946ef2bec0" />
Now, everyone would be familiar with Squash as it is synonymous with the legendary Datuk Nicol Ann David, an eight-time World Squash Champion who held the world No. 1 ranking for an astounding 108 consecutive months until September 2015.
Nicol&rsquo;s legacy lives on through emerging talents like Sivasangari Subramaniam, who made history in April 2023 by winning the London Classic, securing Malaysia's first major women&rsquo;s squash title since Nicol's reign.
You may be wondering, why hasn&rsquo;t Squash been added over all the years of the Olympics and that&rsquo;s because since 2014, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed host countries to temporarily add new sports to the Olympic program, opening the door for both returning and debut events. This policy led to the inclusion of karate, baseball/softball, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Paris 2024 retained skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing, while introducing breaking (breakdancing) as a new event, paving the way for squash to make its Olympic debut.
With four years to go, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics present a promising and exciting chance for our country to secure its first gold medal.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments. 
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
FOMO much? Follow our <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.facebook.com/mycclub/">Facebook</a> and <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.instagram.com/myc_news/?hl=en">Instagram</a> for more updates. 
&nbsp;

Perhaps its time to focus on allocating budget to other sports rather than dumping most of it on football. 

056fe7201711d3ac1d5ab1c9f71581cba5168d50568b44c54b45cf0b8b2012c6

No Budget, No Representation: Why Malaysian Breakdancers Missed The 2024 Paris Olympics

No Budget, No Representation: Why Malaysian Breakdancers Missed The 2024 Paris Olympics

Perhaps its time to focus on allocating budget to other sports rather than dumping most of it on football.

Latest News

Health Minister Responds To Lavish KKM Raya Event After Facing Backlash Online

US Slaps Up To 3,521% Tariffs On ASEAN Solar Panels, Threatening Malaysia’s Export Industry

Meta Launches Edits: Its Boldest Move Yet To Rival TikTok's CapCut

Elon Musk Steps Back From Trump’s DOGE To Refocus On Tesla Amid Profit Collapse And Mounting Backlash

Early Morning Downpour Triggetd Landslide, Collapsing Wall Of International School In TTDI

Related Articles

Health Minister Responds To Lavish KKM Raya Event After Facing Backlash Online

Meta Launches Edits: Its Boldest Move Yet To Rival TikTok's CapCut

Elon Musk Steps Back From Trump’s DOGE To Refocus On Tesla Amid Profit Collapse And Mounting Backlash

Early Morning Downpour Triggetd Landslide, Collapsing Wall Of International School In TTDI

Yung Kai To Make Malaysian Debut With “Flower, Moon and Star” Tour This August

Related Articles

Health Minister Responds To Lavish KKM Raya Event After Facing Backlash Online

Meta Launches Edits: Its Boldest Move Yet To Rival TikTok's CapCut

Elon Musk Steps Back From Trump’s DOGE To Refocus On Tesla Amid Profit Collapse And Mounting Backlash

Early Morning Downpour Triggetd Landslide, Collapsing Wall Of International School In TTDI

Yung Kai To Make Malaysian Debut With “Flower, Moon and Star” Tour This August