The Star Online : 14 January 2009
By S. RAMAGURU

KUALA LUMPUR: Smokers in the national hockey team will have to undergo a special programme with the National Sports Institute (NSI) soon.

National interim coach Tai Beng Hai said that the problem had grown big enough to take such measures to stop the declining fitness level in the team.

He said that tests were conducted on the players last week and they were now waiting for the results to identify the smokers in the team.

“The NSI have a special programme to help smokers and the players will have to take it up,” said Beng Hai yesterday.

Beng Hai: Said the problem (smoking) had grown big enough to take such measures to stop the declining fitness level in the team.
The NSI director general, Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz, revealed on Monday that smoking was prevalent among the players and it was a contributing factor to the decline in standard of Malaysian hockey.

“There are other ways like using nicotine gum and patches to help them. We want the players to realise the problem and work at stopping the habit,” added Beng Hai.

“We know that to stop smoking completely takes time but we want them to reduce it gradually and make a determined effort through the programme.”

He added that in 2007, there were 15 players in the national junior side who were smokers and steps were taken to help them. Then, Beng Hai was the coach of the team.

“The recent tests will tell us the number of seniors with the smoking habit. Punishing them by dropping them from the team is not the answer. We have already started counselling the players and we will take one step at the time to resolve the problem,” he said.

Beng Hai agreed with Dr Ramlan that it would take a lot of self determination by the players to overcome the problem.

Besides getting the players to join the NSI programme to kick the habit, the team management have also come out with guidelines for all the players to follow.

Flashback
A 11pm curfew has been imposed on all single players in the team. And Beng Hai said that they were discussing with those who are married on the time to return to camp.

Proper pre and post warm-ups will also be made compulsory for the players and injury management will be highlighted for quick recovery.

“I firmly believe that we need to set down these rules so that the players know that we are serious in wanting to work on their fitness and game. It is up to them to decided if they want to take their game to another level or remain as they are,” said Beng Hai.

“We have students, married and working people in the team and their needs differ. That is why we have to talk to all of them before a final set of rules are drawn up.”

When Beng Hai took charge of the side on Jan 5, he announced longer training sessions for the team. And the morning session began at 6am instead of 7.30am.

The team are preparing for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh from April 3-12 and the Asia Cup in Dubai from May 8-15.