Malaysia stripped of hosting 2019 World Para Swimming Championships


The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have stripped Malaysia of the right to host the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships after the country banned Israeli athletes from participating.

Malaysia was due to host the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, a qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. However Malaysia, which is a majority Muslim country, announced this month that it would bar Israelis from any event held in the South-east Asia nation to stand in solidarity with Palestine..

In a statement, the IPC held the decision to strip Malaysia of the right to host the event was taken after the Home Ministry "failed to provide the necessary guarantees that Israeli Para swimmers could participate, free from discrimination, and safely in the Championships."

Despite the IPC's decision on Sunday, Malaysian officials defended the decision to bar Israelis, "If hosting an international sporting event is more important than standing up for our Palestinian brothers and sisters who get murdered, maimed and tortured by the Netanyahu regime, that means Malaysia has truly lost its moral compass," Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said in a statement.

Head of the IPC said, "Politics and sport are never a good mix and we are disappointed that Israeli athletes would not have been allowed to compete in Malaysia,". A new venue is to be sought for the same dates of the event which is due to run 29 July to 4 August. 

You may also like

View All

Sport Resolutions reappointed to operate the National Anti-Doping Panel until 2028

Sport Resolutions is pleased to announce its successful bid to continue operating the National Anti-Doping Panel, the UK’s independent tribunal for anti-doping disputes, for a three-year term from 1 April 2025 through 2028. The appointment follows a competitive tender process led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Read More

World Athletics v Norbert Kobielski

A decision in the case of World Athletics (WA) against Norbert Kobielski has been issued by the World Athletics Disciplinary and Appeals Tribunal (DAT)

Read More

The Rt. Hon. Sir Gary Hickinbottom appointed as the new President of the National Safeguarding Panel

We are delighted to announce the appointment of The Rt. Hon. Sir Gary Hickinbottom as President of the National Safeguarding Panel. A long-standing panel member, Sir Gary brings extensive expertise to support the NSP’s work in complex safeguarding cases across sport

Read More

Newsletter Signup

Please enter your email address below: