OCM roll out second round of Covid-19 relief funding

By New Straits Times - October 23, 2020 @ 8:01am

Help is on the way again for national sports associations (NSAs) facing financial difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) trust management committee has approved a second round of Covid-19 relief funding to the amount of RM300,000.

NSAs, regardless of whether they are ordinary or associate members of OCM, can apply for help from the fund.

The amount that they can receive, however, is limited to RM10,000 for ordinary members and RM5,000 for associate members.

The application period opened from yesterday with disbursements expected to be made by the end of the first week of November.

OCM, in a statement released on Wednesday, said NSAs may use the funds for a variety of administrative purposes.

"The fund is aimed at assisting NSAs with their administrative expenses at a time when the nation is undergoing a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic," said the OCM statement.

"Specifically, NSAs may utilise the funds to pay for office rentals, salaries and allowances of their employees, coaches and athletes.

"This is the second time the OCM has created a fund to assist its members during the pandemic.

"The first fund established on April 17 (also RM300,000) benefited 23 ordinary members and seven associate members."

The OCM disclosed they had also approved grants amounting to over RM300,000 on Wednesday to 18 NSA for the purpose of organising competitions, educational seminars, training camps, grassroots programmes and purchase of sports equipment.

They made it clear that certain events by the NSAs will have to be postponed due to current Covid-19 restrictions.