Asas sad over S’wak’s loss of rights to host meet
KUCHING : The cancellation of the 2019 World Para Swimming Championship which was scheduled to be held here from July 29 to August 4 has greatly disappointed the Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak (Asas), according to the association’s secretary Anthony Kong.
As a state within Malaysia, Sarawak has to respect the national foreign policy of Malaysia to bar entry of Israelis to the country, he said.
As of Saturday, 64 countries has confirmed their participation involving 1,678 athletes and officials.
“I am very sad, hugely disappointed and despair that we Sarawak lost the rights to host this prestigious meet,” lamented Kong.
He said however, Asas has to respect the government’s policy.
“It is what it is. Rules, regulations, constitutions and governing bodies of all sports have their own guidelines which are there to protect their own bona fide athletes and upheld their own respective sport in the highest esteem irrespective of race, colour, religion or origins.”
He noted that unfortunately, at times, they contradict and are at loggerhead with one’s own country’s politics and policy.
“We must remember any particular sport their own rules, regulations and constitutions will reign supreme. At times they contradict with politics and they may be above politics and policy,” he stressed.
“The saying of politics don’t mix well with sports could be more of a case exactly politics don’t interfere with sports,” he ended.
