APOLOGIES
In a statement on Friday, OCM president Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the council will discuss the design tweaks with the official apparel manufacturer, Yonex Sunrise.
He said the decision to improve upon the look was made after taking into account feedback from all parties, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Sports Council and sports fans. OCM also acknowledged that the official jacket design was not well received.
“Indeed, OCM thanks all stakeholders and sports fans in general who care about the launch ceremony and the design of the official attire for the Malaysian contingent to Paris 2024 by providing constructive comments and views,” he said.
He also addressed criticism from some who were unhappy with how the flag on the outfits was in gold instead of the country’s original red, blue, yellow and white.
“The gold version of the OCM logo, which combines the fluttering national flag and the five Olympic rings, complies with International Olympic Committee guidelines,” said Mohamad Norza.
He emphasised that the logo was not a Malaysian flag that had been “altered or modified arbitrarily”.
“When used in the five-colour or polychrome version, the colours of the five rings are, from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green and red. Blue, black and red are at the top, while yellow and green are at the bottom. The five-colour version can only be used on a white background according to the conditions set by the IOC.”
“If the background is anything other than white, a monochrome or single-colour version must be used. For example, if the background is black, the logo should be used in a contrasting single colour such as white, yellow or blue,” said a statement.
The event organiser behind the widely panned unveiling, held at the upmarket The Exchange TRX mall, also issued an apology on Thursday.
“We acknowledge our shortcomings and take responsibility for any flaws in the management and organisation of the event as well as (for attracting) comments from fans and netizens that affect the overall image of OCM. We wish OCM and the Malaysian contingent the best of luck,” said managing director of MY Creative Moments, Wong Kang Woon.
He also apologised for any “weaknesses and confusion” that arose as a result.
