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TOKYO − Malaysia's chef de mission (CDM) to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin, has promised to do his best to fight for the fate of national shot put champion, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli.
Megat, who is also president of the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM), said MPM would raise the disqualification of Ziyad in the F20 shot put event (intellectual impairment) with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and World Para Athletics (WPA) once the Games ended.
He said that he was also obtaining CCTV footage in the call room and waiting area of the Tokyo Olympic Stadium to get a clear situation of the incident for the purpose of evidence in pursuing further action.
"At the CDMs meeting this morning, as an additional effort, I explained the situation that happened to Muhammad Ziyad before the Organising Committee to defend his victory (in the event).
“However, the Organising Committee informed that all protests and appeals can be made in writing to IPC and World Para Athletics. This can only be done after the end of the Tokyo Paralympic Games," he said in a virtual press conference today.
At the same time, Megat said that Ziyad was relieved after being informed of the outcome of the CDMs meeting and hoped that the incident would not affect the focus of the country's athletes who will still be competing in Tokyo.
"Our mission in Tokyo is not over and we ask for prayers from all Malaysians," he said.
Meanwhile, Megat also requested for consideration from the government to give appropriate rewards for Ziyad's outstanding services and achievement in Tokyo in appreciation of his sacrifices over the years.
Yesterday, the world sports arena was rocked by a shocking incident in Tokyo after Ziyad was denied the gold medal in the men's F20 shot put event. His throw of a distance of 17.94 metres (m) was also a new world record for the event.
However, disaster struck as Ukraine lodged a protest with the technical committee, who then disqualified Ziyad and two others − Jordi Patricio Congo Villalba of Ecuador and Australia’s Todd Hodgets − for supposedly being late to enter the call room.
All three were classified as Did Not Start (DNS) over the supposed infraction.
Ukraine’s Maksym Koval was announced as the gold medallist with a throw of 17.34m, breaking Ziyad’s world record set in London.
Another Ukrainian, Oleksandr Yarovyi, took silver with a throw of 17.30m while Greece’s Efstratios Nikolaidis (15.93m) settled for bronze. – Bernama, September 1, 2021
