MALAYSIA failed in its appeal to World Para Athletics to overturn Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli’s disqualification from the shot put F20 event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, said Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Ti Lian Ker.

According to Ti, the Malaysian Chef de mission Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin, along with the delegations from Australia and Ecuador, explained to the committee in charge and provided justification to the Para Athletics Committee to reinstate their respective athletes.

During the event, Ziyad smashed his own world record and would have bagged Malaysia’s second gold medal before a protest was lodged against him by Ukraine.

The Ukrainian team lodged a protest against Ziyad and two other competitors for being late to roll call, which resulted in their disqualification.

Subsequently, the gold medal went to Ukraine’s Koval Maksym.

However, Ti said the jury insists the three athletes were at fault.

“The head of the Malaysian contingent will continue to appeal at the meetings of the contingent chiefs this morning.

“He has also informed me that if the outcome of the meeting is not in our favour, then the decision of the competition’s referee and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Para Athletic Appeals Jury is final,” he said in a Facebook post.

However, he said the Malaysian Paralympic Council and Para Athletic Association will file an official protest against the decision to the International Paralympic Council and World Para Athletic.

“However, the protest can only be made after the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic is over. In the meantime, we will have to accept the decision,” he said. – September 1, 2021.