PHNOM PENH: The International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF) for the first time will introduce the use of body cameras to referees to ensure that the results of each competition are made transparently and without bias.
ISTAF Secretary-General Datuk Abdul Halim Kader said the move was also to show that the referees who were given the responsibility to referee each tournament performed their duties with integrity.
“We are introducing body cameras so that we can improve the implementation level and running of sepak takraw is seen in the eyes of the world as a transparent sport with integrity in making decisions in every tournament.
“It also gives space to ISTAF to closely monitor each referee given the responsibility of refereeing matches at the world level, the Asian Games and the SEA Games to carry out their duties with integrity,” he said when met by Bernama here.
He said the use of the body camera was also a transformational step taken by the governing body of sepak takraw to gain recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) so that the sport would be listed in the Olympic Games in the future.
For the purpose, he said ASTAF has appointed former president of the Peninsular Malay Students Association (GPMS) Jais Abdul Karim as Chairman of the Ethics and Integrity Committee of ASTAF (Asian Sepak Takraw Federation) to ensure that ISTAF’s image as an international sports organisation is raised to be on par with other Olympic sports associations.
“We want to take steps to curb issues such as corruption, favoritism among the referees who judge competitions even though this has not yet happened,” he said.
He said as an experiment, the use of the body camera was done during the men’s team event at the 2023 SEA Games between Malaysia and Thailand, two days ago.
“InsyaAllah (God willing), we will fully use this body camera at the Thai King’s Cup World Sepak Takraw Championship that will take place in Korat from July 9 to 16,” he said. – BERNAMA
