THE word “excite” has never existed in gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics, and should not be the basis from which to develop sports policy, said National Sports Council (MSN) director-general Ahmad Shapawi Ismail.
He said the Terengganu government’s concern over the attire of women gymnasts was jeopardising the future of female athletes who wanted only to make the country proud.
He said the contention that the skills and techniques displayed in gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics are “acts that can excite men” should not be accepted.
“Sports provides a platform for national athletes to showcase a high level of self-discipline and strong sense of sportsmanship in their quest to fly the Jalur Gemilang around the world.
“Therefore, the word ‘excite’ should not be the basis for any sports development policy,” he said in a statement today.
This follows Terengganu Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisation Development Committee chairman Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah’s remarks that the state had withdrawn from participating in women’s gymnastics events, as they were exploitative and exhibited indecent acts.
Shapawi said he was surprised that the statement came from a state government official.
“I am not sure why the statement was issued. Sports is an element that should unite people of all races and religions. MSN believes that the government should always provide a fair and equal platform in sports for all, regardless of religion, gender and skin colour.
“Sports has always been the best entity in uniting Malaysians and prioritises merit and performance of athletes over other external factors,” he said.
Shapawi said the issue of sports attire, especially in sports involving the exposure of certain parts of the body, has not only been discussed several times before but has also has been raised in Parliament.
He said for certain sports that feature comparatively revealing attire, it was up to the individuals involved to pursue it or not, as long as no actions violate international sporting rules or risk the athletes’ safety.
Every athlete has the right not to participate in any sport, no matter their interests or talents, if they feel that they are in violation of religious guidelines, he said. Alternatively, they could compromise and settle for shariah-compliant attire.
“As such, I think it is not appropriate to raise the issue and it would be very unfortunate if the Terengganu government’s proposal is applied to non-Muslims because sports should not be used to restrict the freedom of those who wish to be active in sports.
“We appreciate the efforts of the Terengganu government to find a solution for the Muslim community (with regard to) appropriate sporting attire in line with shariah demands, and I acknowledge that religion is an important aspect in the Malaysian context.
“But it is not appropriate for the Terengganu government to apply this policy because the attire issue is the individual’s personal right, as much as the decision to participate in a specific sport (is). Male athletes are also exposed to non-shariah-compliant sporting attire in certain sports, such as swimming, diving, athletics and, the most popular sport, football.”
Sukairi had said yesterday that the Terengganu government was prepared to withdraw its sportsmen from events that don’t adhere to shariah-compliant attire guidelines. These include gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics for women. – Bernama, September 4, 2019.
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