KUALA LUMPUR – The Youth and Sports Ministry has expressed concern over potential discrimination at the state level, particularly regarding the prohibition of female athletes in certain fields, which could negatively impact the development of sports in the country.
This refers to a directive issued by the Terengganu government that previously prohibited Muslim women from participating in diving and swimming events, citing dress code violations.
However, at the recent Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Sarawak, two athletes from the state, Uzlifatil Jannah Ashraf and Ilyssa Ixora Imran, won bronze medals in the women’s 10m synchronised platform event.
Their success, however, was overshadowed by controversy, leading the Terengganu Amateur Swimming Association (PRAT) to issue an apology for mistakenly sending Muslim female athletes to the games without the approval of the state government’s Executive Council.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh stated that both divers will continue to receive support through training at the Malaysian Sports School under the federal government.
Moreover, if Uzlifatil and Ilyssa continue to demonstrate impressive performances, they may be considered for inclusion in the national development program next year.
“I am confident that their talents will further develop, and they may be considered for inclusion in the national development programme in the future.
“National Diving technical director Bryan Nickson has identified these divers as potential candidates for the national development program next year, provided they continue to show improvement in upcoming competitions.
The ministry is concerned that the state government’s directive to restrict the involvement of female athletes in certain sports may hinder the potential of many young athletes with proven talent and negatively impact the overall development of sports in the country,” said Hannah in a statement posted on her social media page today.
At the same time, the ministry hopes that the Terengganu state government will grant appropriate rewards to Uzlifatil and Ilyssa, a sentiment also endorsed by Terengganu Chief Minister Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
However, Samsuri mentioned that the exact amount has not yet been determined, pending a full report on the achievements of the state’s contingent at the recent Sarawak games. – August 28, 2024