KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians are expressing their dissatisfaction following the disqualification of national athlete Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli’s gold medal win in the men’s F20 shot put event at the Tokyo Paralympic Games yesterday.
The results on the Tokyo Paralympics site announcing Ukrainian athlete Maksym Koval as the winner received backlash on social media.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu was one of the first to express his unhappiness on Twitter.
“KBS’ KSU (secretary-general) and CDM (chef de mission) are on the field. Ukraine’s protests against the three countries is very weak. All three (countries) are counter-protesting. Let’s pray,” he tweeted.
KSU KBS bersama CDM berada di lapangan. Protes Ukraine terhadap 3 negara amat lemah. Ketiga2, sedang counter protest. Doakan
— Faizal Azumu (@PejaOfPerak) August 31, 2021
Counter protest masih dalam proses. Kita sama2 doakan pic.twitter.com/oIBTBy4NVq
— Faizal Azumu (@PejaOfPerak) August 31, 2021
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also expressed his disappointment by replying to the tweet from the organisers announcing the decision.
“This is a shameful decision. An absolute disgrace that goes against the spirit of the Paralympics. If it was a call room violation, you should have not allowed them to compete in the first place. Mean spirited and petty. A stolen gold medal and world record,” said the former youth and sports minister.
This is a shameful decision. An absolute disgrace that goes against the spirit of the Paralympics. If it was a call room violation you should have not allowed them to compete in the first place. Mean spirited and petty. A stolen gold medal and world record.
— Khairy Jamaluddin ??? (@Khairykj) August 31, 2021
Another former youth and sports minister, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, concurred.
“Shameful and disappointing decision. Why would you allow Ziyad to participate after the alleged call room violation? This is unacceptable,” he said.
Shameful and disappointing decision. Why would you allowed Ziyad to participate after the alleged call room violation?
— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) August 31, 2021
This is unacceptable. https://t.co/vngfgiS8X6
Several national Olympic athletes also expressed their disappointment over the controversy, including diving champ Pandelela Rinong.
“Anything can happen in sport, but this one so far is the most shocking and made me speechless. #staystrongZiyad,” she tweeted.
Anything can happen in sport, but this one so far the most shocking and made me speechless. #staystrongZiyad
— Pandelela Rinong (@Pandelela_R) August 31, 2021
Other Twitter users also expressed disappointment over the decision of the Paralympic Committee as well as the attitude of the Ukrainian camp in getting Ziyad’s gold-medal win disqualified.
“In the #Tokyo2020 Olympics, we witnessed a powerful gesture when Qatar & Italy shared gold medals but in the #Paralympics we are seeing this disgusting protest from #UKR (Ukraine) after they found out their athletes are nowhere near as good as Ziyad. Despicable decision by the organiser,” said @mumuedstar.
“If this disqualification is final, shame on the International Paralympic Committee, on the Tokyo Paralympic Organisers and Team Ukraine. Why (were they) allowed to compete to begin with? Does it affect anyone’s performance? Four of Ziyad’s throws are further than 2nd place,” said @riznal.
“You guys let him go into the field. He broke the world record with 17.94m. He won the gold medal fair and square. But you disqualified his participation only after the game is over? No, no. I’m not having it. Ziyad deserves better than this,” tweeted @khrnkat.
Ziyad was earlier reported to have broken the world record in the F20 category shot put final with a throw of 17.94m in his third attempt, thus contributing the second gold medal for Malaysia in this year’s Games.
However, the victory was disqualified after a protest by the Ukrainian camp, which claimed that Ziyad was late to enter the roll call area, thus allowing their athlete to win gold in the event.
After the Malaysian delegation filed a protest, including with CCTV evidence in the call room and outside it, the matter will be raised at the chef de mission meeting this morning. – Bernama, September 1, 2021
