Bar None

Referees are not technically athletes, but as the people responsible for managing football matches, they need to be fit too. So, what's their fitness routine like? Retired Malaysian referee Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh joins us one last time to share how he trained as a referee and kept himself fit amidst his busy schedule. Image Credit: Dmitriy Prayzel / Shutterstock.com

Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh, a retired Malaysian referee who's now working as a technical instructor with FIFA and others, joins us again for the second half of our chat. He lifts the lid on his trade as a referee, including managing players with big personalities, as well as his thoughts on VAR and whether it's a good addition to the beautiful game. Image Credit: Mikolaj Barbanell / Shutterstock.com

Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh, a former Malaysian referee who, at one point, represented the country as a fourth official at the 2010 World Cup, joins the show to talk about the path he took to become a referee and the nuances of being the man with the whistle—from learning about the tactical side of the game to better manage it, to the cultural differences that need to be taken into account when officia...

We’ve shone the spotlight on sport climbing from a recreational point of view recently, and in this episode, we’re going to look at it from a more competitive angle. Joining us in this episode is Safwan Zainal, the head coach of the national team. He'll discuss our national athletes and where Malaysia stands in the sport, while lifting the curtain on what it’s like to coach at that level and what...

In conjunction with the upcoming MotoGP at Sepang this weekend, we take a look at the world of two-wheel racing here in Malaysia, from the grassroots community all the way to the top. How big is the fanbase, and what makes them so passionate about the sport, from the Malaysian Cub Prix all the way to MotoGP? Where are we in terms of producing new riders who can compete at the highest level? Joinin...

Budget 2026's allocation for sports saw an increase of more than 150%, with the government putting aside RM580 million. Part of the allocation will be for our elite athletes, as well as our para and deaf sportspeople; some of the funds will be used for preparations ahead of Malaysia hosting the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games in 2027, while the remainder will be used to improve and refurbish our sp...

Our periodic “How Athletes Train” episode returns, featuring representatives from the world of sport climbing and skateboarding. Safwan Zainal, national coach of Malaysia’s sport climbing team joins us to share how he trains his athletes, and the kinds of routines they go through. Later on the show, we also hear from skateboarding coach Joseph Romey Dures on how he personally trains to support his...

Despite its "extreme" and athletic nature, skateboarding is seen more as a subculture, especially with the kind of symbiotic influence it has on various urban lifestyle elements. But because it's still a sport, there are skaters out there who pursue the sport for what it is. In this episode of Bar None, we look at how far skateboarding as a sporting endeavour has grown here in the country and the...

Rock climbing has been around for quite a while, but it has now enjoyed a resurgence in popularity among urban dwellers, especially for people looking to challenge themselves not only physically, but mentally as well. What’s the appeal of the sport that makes it exciting and challenging on various fronts? Founder of BHub Bouldering, Jeremy Ho joins us to trace his own journey and relationship with...

This episode of Bar None features two dedicated athletes sharing their training insights. Professional golfer Genevieve Ling discusses her training routine and areas of focus, while Ewegene Tan, Race Director of the Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB, explains how he trains as a trail running athlete and offers tips for runners looking to explore nature and start trail running. Image Credit: Kampus Prod...

Trail running might not have the same popularity as road running or track and field, but the different challenges that it provides do appeal to a niche group looking for a different kind of exhilaration. What is the trail running scene like, especially in a biodiverse country like Malaysia, with varied trails across the nation? Trail runner and race director Ewegene Tan joins us to share what the...

Legendary American soccer player, World Cup winner and Olympic medallist Brandi Chastain is known for her iconic celebration after scoring the winning penalty that led to the USA lifting their second World Cup in 1999. But her contributions to the women’s game go far deeper than that. Brandi, and her former teammate, Maren McCrary, join the show on the back of their visit to Malaysia recently, to...

Lauren Hoh Ruyi has tasted different facets of life as an athlete at such a young age. She started her journey as a footballer playing with the boys' team, before leaving Malaysia to study in Thailand and hone her football skills there. Now, she’s in the US, taking the next step in her fledgling football career. She joins us on the show to share what it's been like so far, and chart the progress t...

Tower running champion Soh Wai Ching joins us again in this episode to talk about his training routine. He breaks it all down for us, including his nutrition and how he mixes things up. He also gives some pointers for beginners looking to start tower running. T. Avineshwaran, Sports Journalist from The Star also joins us for a quick preview of the new season of the Malaysian Super League. Image Cr...

For tower running champion Soh Wai Ching, the climb to the top is more than just about beating his nearest competitors. It's about being the best version of himself. Despite already accomplishing a lot since he first started in 2017, there's still more to be done. He joins us on the show after breaking a few more personal records and another world record as well (“Farthest Simulated Distance Climb...

Fitness racing and fitness games are becoming more popular lately, and while Hyrox is the rage among the fitness community globally, Malaysia has its own alternative in the form of Redline Fitness Games. What is it exactly, and how does it differ from Hyrox and other fitness games out there? Jeffrey Ross, General Manager of Fresh Events Asia, the organisation responsible for creating Redline, join...

Ahead of the new football season, one of the things that are dominating football fans’ conversations are transfers. Central to the news and rumors that we hear daily are football agents. In the European games especially, they’re painted as having glamorous lives, engineering blockbuster deals for their clients all the time. But what’s the reality like for a football agent here in Malaysia? Joining...

A month on from Harimau Malaya's historic win against Vietnam, sports journalist T. Avineshwaran joins us to reflect on the victory and the conversations that emerged from the match, including the team's tactical approach and composition, with many new players making their debut, as well as the fallout from the match, including claims made by rival fans. Avinesh also gives us a quick preview of th...

Enhanced Games is a proposed multi-sport event that allows the use of performance-enhancing substances. Despite backlash from a lot of different stakeholders, arguing that this move is extremely dangerous and highly unethical, the founder, Aron D’Souza is optimistic that the event will take place in 2026. Former CEO of National Sports Institute, Datuk Dr. Ramlan Abdul Aziz joins us on the show to...

SRG.OG created history earlier this week by becoming the first team to win the MPL Malaysia three times in a row, after their dominant 4-0 victory against Homebois in the Grand Final. We speak to the team’s co-founder Simon Lim to learn more about their latest success, their collaboration with European esports giant, OG, and whether they’re ready to defend their title at the upcoming Esports World...

“Go-karting is racing in its purest form”. That’s what Weiron Tan, founder and CEO of Evolt Karting, Malaysia’s indoor electric karting center, and a former professional racing driver concluded, after sampling a bit of everything in his career. He shares what he means by that and also talks about the joy of karting, whether leisurely or professionally, and why it’s still relevant and important in...

Former national tennis player Adam Jaya joins us on the show to talk about what it’s like to be a professional tennis player, and the challenges that he had to go through in order to be competitive in the scene. He also addresses the elephant in the room - the rising popularity of pickleball and padel and whether it’ll affect tennis’ long-standing legacy. In our Peak Performance segment, he walks...

In this episode of Bar None, we look at how athletes train in the field of track cycling and powerlifting. John Beasley, the technical director of the Malaysian National Cycling Federation breaks down how our track cyclists train, including the different phases and modalities they go through. Then, Kenneth Kaden Chin the deputy president of the Malaysian Association for Powerlifting shares his own...

Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) is a sport that challenges you on all fronts and one that’s pretty popular among those who seek variety in their fitness endeavor. Reality TV shows like Ninja Warrior and Sasuke have increased its visibility to a wider audience, while organisations like Spartan Race and Viper Challenge have elevated OCR’s visibility and participation here. Joining us on the show to unp...

Despite being an active person, Kenneth Kaden Chin has never thought to lift heavy weights competitively until he stumbled upon a powerlifting competition at a local mall. Buoyed by the positivity shown by the crowd that’s very supportive to all the participants, he decided to give the sport a try. Now, he’s a powerlifting champion and the deputy president of the Malaysian Association for Powerlif...