Malaysia to host 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games
Friday, April 1st, 2005
By Peter Abisheganaden and Natasha Mustapha
It was well known that Beijing faced many problems in staging the equestrian events of the Olympic Games because of health and quarantine reasons and because of the staggering costs of building completely new equestrian facilities. Hong Kong was originally thought to be in with the best chance of taking over the equestrian events of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, with their existing facilities, established international health protocol, and know-how of running international horse races. This was first reported by our own Peter Abisheganaden in his editorial of 26th October 2004 titled “Doping Scandals Hit Equestrian Sports.”
On 23rd November, almost a month later, Horse and Hound reported that “Hong Kong may host 2008 Olympics” in an article published on their website.
Malaysia was never thought to be in the running. However, Equestrian.Com.My is now proud to bring you another worldwide exclusive - Malaysia has stolen the rights to run the 2008 Olympic equestrian events from under Hong Kong’s noses.
One of the current favourites of the FEI, Malaysia has been awarded the FEI World Cup Jumping Final, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur in April 2006. It is also expected to challenge Taipei to host the 2006 General Assembly.
This momentous decision will be endorsed and announced in a few days time at the FEI General Assembly to be held in London next week. However it is as good as official: the organisers of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games have outsourced the Olympic equestrian events to Malaysia.
The 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games as it will be called, will be staged in Malaysia at the same time as the Beijing Olympics. All medals issued in Malaysia will count towards to final medals tally and will carry all the right and privileges of an Olympic medal.
Malaysia made its bid to Beijing Olympic Games Equestrian Licensing Unit through diplomatic channels. They are the licensee holders of the 2008 Olympic Games from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and any sub-contracting of the Olympics had to go through them.
A small working group of approximately 120 people was formed comprising personnel from the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sport, Olympic Council of Malaysia, Majlis Sukan Negara or Malaysia’s National Sports Council, the Sports Commissioner’s Office, Malaysian Equine Council, Equestrian Association of Malaysia and the Riding for the Disabled Association of Malaysia.
This secret group was charged with beating the Hong Kong bid to bring the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games to Malaysia. Called the Boleh group for the Olympic Deployment Over Hong Kong, it was codenamed Operation BODOH.
Public Relations firm Cicak Communications were engaged so as to be able to lobby BOGEL in Mandarin. Cicak spokesperson Ms Sue Sachakap told Equestrian.Com.My, “Once I introduced our BODOH Chairman, His Excellency Yang Bahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Minister to them, it was no problem. We give them enough under-the-table money, more so than Hong Kong. After the last Asian Games bidding went to Qatar we know how does the money politics played. So BOGEL is no problem mah.
We had some ‘susah’ negotiations to make with them. Beijing was concerned with bilateral relations with Malaysia. We told them not to worry – Malaysia has many relations still in China, but no Sikhs.”
Hong Kong are said to be hopping mad. The language barrier broke down when Equestrian.Com.My called Mr Dewlay Loh Moh of the Hong Kong Olympic Planning, Execution and Logistics of Equestrian Services and Ticket Sales – he was only able to repeatedly scream his name.
Malaysia’s Ministrix of Sport and Youth, said, “This apa-nama BODOH Group, has done a very good job. We sent them to get the games and it’s a good thing they got it. If not I would have sent them to Siberia. I want to win all the equestrian races. Now I expect Qabil to win all the equestrian races in the games. If not he too can go to Siberia.”
The question of which equestrian centre in Malaysia would host this event has also been answered. Mr Jaswan Debid, spokesperson for Operation BODOH said, “We have just won the bid but we know we have a lot of work to do. We have identified all relevant equestrian centres in Malaysia that hold equestrian events and that could host the Olympic Equestrian Games. Malaysia has many facilities that are large enough for an Olympic Games of this size, but when we take away the housing projects that are disguised as equestrian akademi then there are not so many. We had to find one that is not only large enough but also nearby to Kuala Lumpur.
I am proud to say that Malaysia will host the Olympic Equestrian Games at the new Turf Club location in far northern Rawang, near the Malaysian-Thai border. It is reputed to take only 30 minutes to get to from downtown Kuala Lumpur, however we have found that to achieve this time commuters would have to use a microlight or helicopter.
This is no problem though. In true Malaysia Boleh fashion, we will build a new highway direct from KLIA to the Olympic Equestrian Centre. However to get on the highway you will have to go to KLIA first. The toll charges will be PLUS tickets to the equestrian events.”
Hong Kong is said to be appealing to the Judicial Committee of the FEI and beyond that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). These appeals are expected to take not less than 4 years before a final decision is reached.
Previous April Fool's Articles:
2003 - Rodrigo to ride for Malaysia
