SHAH ALAM, 29 Sept: The suspension of sporting events due to the increase in the Air Pollution Index (API) is wise to ensure that the health of players and supporters are not affected.

The Exco for Young Generation Development, Sports, Culture and Entrepreneur Development, Amirudin Shari, said that the Malaysia Cup between Selangor and Felda United that took place last week had to be held because it was under an API of 150 that was set by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

“In the final match (Selangor) in Shah Alam, we played with an API of 128 – 129.

“There should be a suspension in the future because not only adults, but also children are also present and they also face (health) risks that are higher,” he told Selangor Kini.

He said that an API reading of 150 is deemed to be high although the team had to abide by the rules that had been set, despite suspension for several other games.

Selangor is among the states that are experiencing severe haze because it recorded unhealthy API readings, in addition to postponing the school session.

Taking note about the current air quality, Amirudin advised all sport associations to plan appropriate training, in addition to taking care of nutrition and increase intake of water to avoid dehydration.

NS