<figure id="attachment_3218884" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3218884" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3218884" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f384a995-fakhrul-afizul-400m-bernama-pic-151125.webp" alt="Fakhrul Afizul" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3218884" class="wp-caption-text">A fitness test at NSI proved decisive as MA reinstated Fakhrul, and pledged clearer, more transparent selection pathways. (Bernama pic) </figcaption></figure>
KUALA LUMPUR: National 400m hurdles champion Muhammad Fakhrul Afizul Nasir has been reinstated to Malaysia’s SEA Games squad for Bangkok.
The 21-year-old earned his place after passing a comprehensive performance and fitness test at the National Sports Institute (NSI) yesterday.
Malaysia Athletics (MA) confirmed the decision in a statement, bringing an end to a week of public unease after the national record holder was unexpectedly omitted despite qualifying on merit.
MA secretary-general Nurhayati Karim said the NSI assessment was “a crucial part” of MA’s commitment to athlete welfare, performance readiness and long-term development.
“His inclusion reflects our priority in ensuring athletes are healthy, competitive, and prepared for high-performance demands,” she said.
She added that the NSI evaluation helps ensure athletes returning from injury are not exposed to unnecessary risk.
“Fakhrul’s clearance confirms he is physically ready to compete at the highest level. We welcome him back into the SEA Games squad and will support his preparation in the coming weeks,” she said.
The reinstatement follows heavy scrutiny over the original selection list, which omitted Fakhrul due to a technicality and questions surrounding his recovery from a severe hamstring tear suffered at the World University Games in August.
The decision drew widespread criticism, especially given his two national records, Category A qualification, and standing as the region’s third-ranked hurdler.
MA also emphasised its commitment to strengthening selection transparency and building clearer athlete pathways.
Nurhayati said future decisions will align more closely with performance indicators, medical assessments and long-term career sustainability.
“MA will continue working closely with ISN, MSN and OCM to uphold a fair, structured and athlete-centred selection system grounded in international best practices,” the statement said.
The men’s 400m hurdles slot had earlier been assigned to Aiman Najmi, who clocked 52.73s behind Fakhrul at the MA International Meet on May 4. Aiman remains in the Games squad for other events.
For Fakhrul, the clearance closes an emotionally turbulent week and restores his place on a stage he earned with record-breaking runs at Sukma 2024 and consistent performances over the past two seasons.
With the Games running from Dec 9 to 20, the hurdler now turns fully toward preparation, and the chance to turn controversy into momentum.

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