Former national rugby player Jef Hazrul Nizam shares his journey of adjusting his career to prioritise his son with autism, finding new purpose in fatherhood
PUCHONG: Raising a child with special needs presents profound emotional and practical challenges, something that former national rugby player turned influencer Jef Hazrul Nizam Jaafar understands intimately.
Jef’s eldest son, Jef Zyad Thaqif, 12, was diagnosed with mild autism, but is manageable with structured support.
“He can communicate and attend school. He’s just slower in processing and learning. The key is patience,” Jef told theSun in an interview.
He admitted that Zyad’s diagnosis prompted a major lifestyle shift.
“Yes, I stopped certain commitments. Before this, I was fully committed to rugby – coaching, commentaries and travelling constantly. If I had continued like that, I wouldn’t be present enough for him,” he said.
Two years ago, Zyad was transferred to a Special Education Integration Programme school.
Since then, Jef has personally handled school drop-offs and pick-ups whenever possible, restructuring his work around fatherhood.
“Many parents in the special needs community will tell you, often one parent has to scale back or surrender certain ambitions. It depends on the severity, but adjustments are inevitable,” he said.
For Jef, that adjustment did not mean leaving rugby entirely. Instead, he integrated his son into his professional world.
Within Malaysia’s tight-knit rugby fraternity, Jef’s peers have shown understanding and support.
At tournaments, Zyad accompanies his father, moving freely but under supervision.
“We avoid certain invitations unless we’re very confident about the environment. You never know how situations might unfold.”
However, he sees an unexpected benefit – bonding time.
He also reflects on the emotional expectations placed on him as a former athlete. Friends once assumed his firstborn son would follow in his rugby footsteps.
“When you’re known in sports circles, people expect your son to play too. But life doesn’t always follow that script,” he said.
Instead, Jef has recalibrated his definition of success.
“My focus now is my son’s development and happiness. Rugby will always be there,” he added.
