NEW CLARK CITY, Dec 9 — Malaysia has filed a formal protest to the Philippines SEA Games Organising Committee (PHISGOC) following the revocation of a gold medal won by national gymnast Izzah Amzan on December 7.

A check on the official SEA Games website today found that Izzah’s two gold medals had been revoked. She had previously won two golds in the ball and ribbon apparatus finals.

Malaysia SEA Games 2019 chef de mission, Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, said the matter should not have happened since the medal presentation was held right after the event ended.

“It was not an easy task, as it involved the image of the participating countries and they (PHISGOC) had accepted our protest, and I told them to re-enter the gold medal (in the medal tally) later today,” he told a special media conference, here, today.

Megat Zulkarnain noted that Malaysia would extend the matter to the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) if the issue was not resolved by PHISGOC.

“Through a meeting (with PHISGOC representative) this morning, I presented several clauses in the technical book and I think they understood and agreed. What we regretted was the (decision) made by the technical delegation (in rhythmic gymnastics competition),” said Megat Zulkarnain.

He noted that the issue of the joint gold medal in the rhythmic gymnastics had occurred in Singapore (2015) when Malaysia’s Koi Sie Yan and Shasangari Sivaneswari Nagarajan were named as the joint winners of the individual all-round event.

The Malaysia Gymnastics Federation (MGF) president, Rachel Lau was reported to have sent an official protest to the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) following several controversial decisions involving the national gymnasts.

Sie Yan and Izzah scored an identical 15.200 points in the ribbon apparatus on December 7, but the jury declared Sie Yan as the gold medallist while Izzah took second place respectively, based on their routine level of difficulties.

The competition technical delegates, however, declared the two national gymnasts as joint winners after the national camp protested against the jury’s initial decision. — Bernama