KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) will ask the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) and the National Sports Council (NSC) to consider bringing national track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang back into the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.

MNCF president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill said it would send an official letter to Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari and NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin next week to express its intention of having the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games men’s keirin gold medallist compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games (LA 2028).

“I have spoken to him (Azizulhasni) and told him that, as far as MNCF is concerned, we are giving our total support. But the overall picture is that we must ensure he has the full ecosystem support.

“If you ask me, I think deep down he wants to go (to the Olympic Games) but he wants to make sure he has the full support. I said the MNCF will give him our total support because, at the end of the day, the federation has to be the one to push his name forward,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Azizulhasni recently ended a 16-year wait to become a Commonwealth Games champion after winning gold in the men’s keirin event at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow.

On Monday (Aug 3), the former men’s keirin world champion said a decision on whether he will compete at LA 2028 must be finalised before next month’s Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, scheduled from Sept 19 to Oct 4.

Azizulhasni was previously part of the RTG programme for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The RTG, launched in 2023, is an elite preparation programme that provides athletes with additional support to challenge for gold at the Paris 2024 and LA 2028 Olympics.

Amarjit said a decision on Azizulhasni’s future should not be delayed until after the Asian Games, as the Olympic qualification process will begin at the World Championships in Shanghai, China, from Oct 14 to 18.

Meanwhile, Amarjit said the federation was prepared to let Azizulhasni decide whether he wanted to continue as an independent rider or return to the national set-up, stressing that the priority was to ensure the arrangement best suited the two-time Olympic medallist.

“I think let’s do what he is comfortable with... he’s a very mature and very experienced athlete.

“But, at the end of the day, whichever way it is, the way should be whatever is beneficial for him. That is important,” he said, adding that he would not make it difficult for Azizulhasni by insisting he must be part of the national team and could not compete as an independent rider.

“I’m flexible on that,” added Amarjit.

Last year, the 38-year-old Terengganu-born cyclist decided to continue his professional sporting career independently. — Bernama