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Malaysia's Minister for Youth and Sports says the federal government will absorb the young athletes who are being discriminated against by Terengganu's decision.
Moving forward, the Terengganu team will recruit mainly male gymnasts in line with the state government's guidelines. (Photo: Fadza Ishak)
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SINGAPORE: Malaysia's Minister for Youth and Sports Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has said that he will not tolerate the Terengganu state government barring women gymnasts from competing.
He also pledged that his ministry will intervene and "take over control" of the Terengganu Sports Council to ensure that the future of gymnasts is safeguarded.
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"I will never tolerate this," said the minister on his Twitter account Saturday (Nov 9) afternoon. "If true, (the ministry) will take over control of (Terengganu Sports Council) and absorb their young aspiring athletes who (have been) discriminated (against)."
"I personally will meet up with the athletes affected to ensure that their future in gymnastics will not be compromised."
I will never tolerate this.
If true, KBS will take over control of MSN Terengganu & absorb their young aspiring athletes who are discriminated.
I personally will meet up with the athletes affected to ensure that their future in Gymnastics will not be compromised. https://t.co/99c6HA9ofO
— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) November 9, 2019
The minister made the comments in response to a CNA report quoting the secretary-general of the Terengganu Gymnastics Association as saying that the state would scale back on recruitment of women gymnasts.
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Mr Ahmad Akramin had also said that Terengganu would not field women gymnasts in next year's national Sukma Games.
READ: Dreams dashed for Terengganu's aspiring female gymnasts as state bars them from competitions over attire concerns
Mr Ahmad had said that the move was in line with the Terengganu state governments guidelines on sports, which includes withdrawing women from competing in all forms of gymnastics as athletes would “display indecent movements” that would expose their bodies.
Responding to media queries, Mr Syed Saddiq issued a statement on SaRead More – Source
