KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has “reluctantly” accepted the ruling today that disqualified Datuk Azizulhasni Awang from the men’s keirin race at the Paris 2024 Olympics, delivering a significant blow to the nation’s hopes for a gold medal.
The decision, which followed an incident late last night where Azizul was penalised for overtaking the derny before it had exited the track, has left the Malaysian contingent disappointed and shaken.
Azizul, famously known as the “Pocket Rocketman,” was competing in the first heat alongside other top cyclists, including Matthew Glaetzer of Australia, Jeffrey Hoogland of the Netherlands, Kaiya Ota of Japan, Jair Tjon En Fa of Suriname, and Rayan Helal of France.
The race, which was highly anticipated by Malaysian fans, took a dramatic turn when Azizul attempted an early attack, overtaking the pace-setting motorcycle prematurely.
This violation led to an immediate stoppage of the race, and the Chief Commissaire, in consultation with a representative from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), disqualified Azizul, who was making his fifth Olympic appearance.
The Malaysian contingent, led by Chef de Mission Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, promptly submitted an appeal against the decision, hoping for a reversal that could keep the nation’s gold medal dreams alive.
However, the appeal was rejected, with the UCI upholding the disqualification.
“The Chief Commissaire and representative of the world governing body UCI maintained the decision to cancel Azizulhasni’s participation due to overtaking the derny or motorcycle that sets the pace in front of the group of riders before the motorcycle leaves the race track,” stated Hamidin in a statement.
Despite the disappointment, Malaysia has accepted the ruling and pledged its full support to 36-year-old Azizul.
“The Malaysian contingent reluctantly accepts this decision and will provide unwavering moral support to him.
“At the same time, the National Sports Institute (NSI) will also provide support services to Azizulhasni in facing this difficult situation,” Hamidin added.
Azizul’s disqualification represents a major setback for Malaysia, which had placed high hopes on his performance in the keirin, a race where he has consistently excelled on the global stage.
As the nation absorbs this unexpected outcome, attention now turns to supporting Shah Firdaus Sahrom who qualified for the keirin quarter-finals scheduled at 5.30pm Malaysian time today. – August 11, 2024