KUALA LUMPUR: All may not be over for national Paralympian Ziyad Zolkefli.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said a counter protest by three countries, including Malaysia, would be brought before a meeting of chefs de mission (CDM) Wednesday morning.
It is understood that the two other countries are those who athletes were also disqualified for the call room violation following a protest lodged by Ukraine.
"The protest from Ukraine has still been accepted. A counter protest from three countries will be brought before the CDM meeting in the morning. We will defend!! I ask for prayers from Malaysians," Faizal tweeted tonight.
Ziyad had twice broken his own world record on the way to winning the men's F20 (learning disabilities) shot put event, the longest being at 17.94m, a massive throw that broke even the national record for able-bodied athletes.
However, Ukraine lodged a protest against him and two other athletes for a call room violation, meaning that they were late entering the roll call area.
A counter protest was lodged but to no avail and Ukraine's Maksym Koval was declared the winner with a world record put of 17.34m, with compatriot Oleksandr Yarovyi taking silver.
But there were many who are of the opinion that since the athletes were allowed to compete, then the purported call room violation should not stand.
One of them is Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, a former youth and sports minister himself, who tweeted just that.
"This is a shameful decision. An absolute disgrace that goes against the spirit of the Paralympics. If it was a call room violation you should have not allowed them to compete in the first place. Mean spirited and petty. A stolen gold medal and world record," he tweeted.