By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME MINISTER PRAYUT Chan-o-cha was today (Dec. 25) suggested by an opposition MP to dismiss Sports Authority of Thailand Governor Kongsak Yodmanee for having failed to comply with the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency which is currently banning the Thai flag during international tournaments.
Pheu Thai MP Jirayu Huangsap called on Prayut to depose the SAT governor who had obviously failed to take steps for all Thai athletes to comply to the WADA rules only to see a one-year ban on the raising and flying of the Thai flag on the pole as in the case of last week’s mixed-double badminton final in Spain where a couple of Thai athletes won only to see a pennant of the Badminton Association of Thailand flutter in lieu of the national flag.
The Pheu Thai MP charged that Kongsak’s failures had brought stigma and shame to the country and people who would have otherwise taken pride and joy for victories scored by Thai athletes at international sporting venues.
Jirayu suggested that Prayut do the first thing to fix the problem by dismissing the SAT governor who, he said, had done nothing to comply with the WADA rules despite the agency’s repeated warnings to Thailand.
Kongsak had only passed the blame on others including the politicians for having raised such a national issue to public attention, the opposition lawmaker said.
Many international tournaments are scheduled throughout next year where the Thai flag might otherwise fly if Thai athletes score victories in the finals, he said.
The Prayut government is scheduled to consider an executive decree on the implementation of anti-doping measures upcoming Tuesday so that the WADA rules will be eventually enforced in Thailand and the agency’s one-year ban on the flying of the Thai flag in international tournaments, effective since last October, might probably be shortened, officials said.
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Top: Sports Authority of Thailand Governor Kongsak Yodmanee.
Home Page: Dechapol Poorwaranukhro and Sapsiri Taeratanachai who won the mixed-double badminton final at the Total Energies BWF World Championships in Spain last week. Photo: Matichon
Also read: Thailand trying to get one-year ban on flying flag shortened
Prawit blamed for Thai flag ban at world badminton final
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