The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Sunday stripped Malaysia of the right to host the 2019 world para swimming championships after the country banned Israeli athletes from participating.
The championships, a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, had been scheduled for Kuching between July 29 and August 4.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) stripped Malaysia of the 2019 world para swimming championships, after it banned Israeli athletes. https://t.co/d45X7Kybxf
— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) January 27, 2019
The IPC said a new venue would be sought for the same dates, although there might have to be some flexibility in the light of circumstances.
IPC president Andrew Parsons in a statement after a meeting of the IPC governing board in London:
“All World Championships must be open to all eligible athletes and nations to compete safely and free from discrimination.”
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Prime Minister of #Malaysia
"Whoever comes from israel is a terrorist" pic.twitter.com/GSi6lcwiIg— Days of Palestine (@DaysofPalestine) January 23, 2019
He added:
“When a host country excludes athletes from a particular nation, for political reasons, then we have absolutely no alternative but to look for a new Championships host.”
#Malaysia’s Decision to Bar #Israeli Athletes Was Much Needed https://t.co/J4qDb2kpd7 via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/D87CTPS2yd
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) January 24, 2019
Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country that does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, announced this month that it would bar Israelis from any event held in the Southeast Asia nation.
Israel had condemned the ban as ‘shameful‘ and said the decision was inspired by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s “rabid anti-Semitism”.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
