KUCHING: The Asian Association for Sport Management (AASM) Conference 2023, set to take place at the Imperial Hotel here from August 19 to 20, promises to be an enlightening event that will open doors for Sarawak to nurture more world-class athletes in the future.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan highlighted the significance of the conference, which will witness the participation of international delegates, benefiting the state’s sports managers and associations.
“We are looking at more than 500 local and international participants at this conference. The presence of sports industry professionals from around the world will undoubtedly benefit the athletes, as attendees will gain valuable insights into better sports management, encompassing athlete and sports facilities management, to advance the sports industry in the state.
“With more than 50 sports in Sarawak, the platform of the AASM Conference will serve as an opportunity for the various sports managers and associations to engage in knowledge exchange and share experiences related to sports management,” Snowdan said during a press conference held at the Imperial Hotel today (July 29).
Through the conference, Snowdan said it would also help to ensure athletes are further trained to have good time management.
“Apart from time management, it is important to remember that being a professional athlete requires discipline,” he said.
Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed optimism about the hosting, considering it a vital catalyst for the professionalisation of local sports managers in preparation for the Malaysian Games (SUKMA) scheduled for next year.
“AASM 2023 will be the starting grid for Sarawak’s sport managers and sport management development programs, carried out in collaboration with national sports federations and social entities.
“We look forward to vibrant sport management programs and corresponding sport tourism activities stemming from these programs,” he added.
The conference, themed ‘The Asian Sport Industry and the Sustainability Agenda: Action and Education through Sport,’ will see participation from over 18 countries, including Canada, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Egypt.
Noteworthy international speakers will include Professor Dr Ashraf EIMediani from Egypt, who is the Vice President of the International Arab Sport Management Association and a Sport Management professor at the University of Cairo; Steve Kim from Korea, the Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Electronic Sport Federation; and Jan Fitzgerald from Australia, the Chief Executive Officer of Sport Environment Alliance (S-E-A).
The conference is supported by Business Events Sarawak (BES) and will also witness the presence of notable figures such as Tan Sri Mokhzani Tun Mahathir, the President of the Motorsport Association of Malaysia (MAM), and Mohamad Fadzli Johan, the President of the Ice Hockey Association of Malaysia (ISAM).
Participants can register for the conference on the website at https://www.smas.org.my/aasm2023/register.php. The registration fees for individual participants are set at RM750, while associations can register for RM600.
