MANILA: Chef de mission Datuk Megat Zulkarnanin Omardin (pic) has lodged an official complaint over the decision to strip rhythmic gymnast Izzah Amzan's gold medal in the ribbon event.
He was puzzled that the decision was made after the medal ceremony.
"This is uncalled for. I am sad and upset that this has happened. After two days, they dropped the gold from the official medal tally," said Megat after a meeting in Clark on Monday (Dec 9).
"This is not right because based on the technical handbook of the SEA Games, there is no tie-breaker for the final.
"If the presentation did not happen, we would have accepted it, but two days after the presentation, they took away the gold. I am livid at the decision," he said.
Megat said a technical delegate from International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in Manila had made the decision.
"I told the Philippines South-East Asian Games Organising Committee (Phisgoc)) the clause from the technical handbook of the sport. They understood and agreed with what we said.
"The technical delegate, a Russian lady, had manipulated this. I pity the athlete and the team. They do not deserve this at all.
“We were asked to follow the SEA Games technical book, but now they want to change it to FIG rules. What's the point of the SEA Games handbook?" Megat asked.
"I hope a decision will be made today. If nothing happens, then we will go to the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF)."
Izzah was the joint winner with Koi Sie Yan on Dec 7 amidst protest over biased judging, but the gymnast was relegated to the second spot with a silver a day later.
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