The recent SEA Games is being touted in the press as a major success by the government for not only putting on a great show but also for being able to produce a winning team for Malaysia. No one can argue that the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games were a success in both spectacle and performance. The government, through the auspices of the organizing committee, produced one of the most spectacular multi-sport events ever. But when it comes to athlete performances who is really responsible for them? To help answer this question this article will look at a research study from 2012 that addressed why Malaysia seems to have a hard time winning Olympic gold medals.