Li Neo among many examples of Malaysians contributing to international sports

Malaysian Tay Li Neo is among the world's best in athlete entries and qualifications, a niche expertise that has taken her to all corners of the globe.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been hosting regional and international sporting events since gaining independence in 1957. Along the way, it has produced a list of experts in the sporting ecosystem who are now familiar faces at stadia worldwide.

One such Malaysian is Tay Li Neo. Growing up, Tay dreamt of excelling in badminton. However, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury floored her when she was 16, ending her ambitions of becoming an elite national athlete.

But her love for sports did not die. Instead, Tay went on to serve the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress as its executive secretary, which opened her eyes to the world of sports administration. Tay set her sights beyond Malaysia and what she did thereafter proved pivotal. She upskilled by enrolling in the AISTS Master of Advanced Studies in Sport Management and Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“It was a great place to network. You get to meet so many like-minded people from various backgrounds, from different parts of the world. And they are all contributing to the international sporting ecosystem in one way or the other,” Tay told Twentytwo13.

Instead of smashing shuttlecocks or bowling pins, Tay is now an expert in athlete qualifications and entries. In short, she is a gatekeeper, ensuring athletes meet the strict criteria set by organisers and international federations before they are given the green light to compete.

“I have to thank Melina Xanthopoulou who mentored me in this specific area.”

Tay, however, stopped short of admitting that she is now among the handful of experts worldwide in this extremely niche area.

When Tay is not occupied with a sporting event, she travels the world giving talks and conducting workshops. She is also the co-founder and managing partner of IGNITX, a company that provides event management and safeguarding services to organisers of sporting events.

She spent four days in Senegal last month, speaking to the team in charge of accreditation ahead of the Dakar Youth Olympics, scheduled to begin on Oct 31. Earlier this month, Tay was invited as a keynote speaker at the International Sports Affairs Training Course (ISATC) in Taiwan. This was the second time she had been invited to ISATC.

“At this year’s edition, I shared a topic very close to my own journey that is ‘From #Singapore2010 to #Dakar2026: Delivering the Youth Olympic Games from Planning to Games-Time Reality’. I took the participants through how I found my way into the sports industry, my journey through the Youth Olympic Games and some of what happens behind the scenes in sport entries, accreditation and games delivery.”

Tay added that the session was fulfilling as she was eager to inspire more people to contribute and build meaningful careers in sports, domestically or abroad.

Tay was joined by Malaysian Olympism in Action Society (MOiAS) president Noraseela Khalid and the society’s advocate, Benjamin Lee Wei Bin. Noraseela, an Olympian, was Malaysia’s former national hurdler, while visually impaired Lee often represents MOiAS globally, including at international youth forums and sports conferences.

It remains to be seen if Tay will be involved in the 2027 SEA Games, which Malaysia will host. However, Tay believes she is playing her small part in contributing to the global sporting landscape.

She is, after all, a Malaysian ambassador in the world of sports.

“There are careers in sports. And we can contribute to sports in many ways,” said Tay.

“I am glad that I have been able to share my expertise and will continue to do so if and when required,” she added.