Terengganu swimming body apologises for sending Muslim divers to Sukma

Terengganu swimming body apologises for sending Muslim divers to Sukma

PETALING JAYA: The Terengganu Amateur Swimming Association has apologised for sending two Muslim girls to represent the state in the diving competition at the recent 21st Malaysian Games (Sukma) without the state government’s approval.

Terengganu state-run TV Darul Iman reported that the association’s president, Toh Chin Yaw, said it would take full responsibility for the action.

It said the association sent the divers to Kuching, Sarawak, on its own initiative, covering the costs with support from both the association and the athletes’ families.

Toh said while the state government has always reminded the association about attire requirements for Muslim athletes, the association was of the view that the dress code set by the national and international swimming bodies would be acceptable.

“We misunderstood the dress code,” he said.

“We thought it was acceptable as it was standardised internationally in any competition. We only realised we made a mistake when this became an issue.”

TV Darul Iman reported that Toh had earlier met with Terengganu youth and sports executive councillor Hishamuddin Abdul Karim and Terengganu sports council director Ahmad Shahrizal Yahaya.

Hishamuddin said the Terengganu sports council’s stand is that no female Muslims can represent the state in diving given that the necessary attire does not meet the state’s dress code for Muslim athletes.

In 2018, Terengganu made it a requirement for state athletes to wear shariah-compliant clothing, both at home and while taking part in outstation events.

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In 2022, it banned women from taking part in gymnastics events because of non-shariah-compliant outfits, forcing several Muslim female gymnasts from the state to retire from the sport altogether.

The team’s manager, Foo Wai Choo, acknowledged that Hishamuddin had prohibited the association from sending Muslim female athletes to Sukma as their participation would breach the state’s dress code.

“Moving forward, we will try to identify talent from among non-Muslims as permitted by the state government,” Foo said in the TV Darul Iman report.

Hosts Sarawak beat the federal territories by one gold medal to win the most gold medals at this year’s Sukma, which concluded last Saturday.

The final medal tally puts Sarawak at 76 gold, 54 silver and 68 bronze medals. The state was just ahead of the federal territories, which managed to garner 75 gold, 66 silver and 72 bronze medals.

This was Sarawak’s fourth time as the overall Sukma champion. It topped the medal table in the 1990, 1992 and 1994 games.

Terengganu swimming body apologises for sending Muslim divers to Sukma