PETALING JAYA: National para swimmer Zy Lee Ker has made an emotional plea for help from Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh after he was sidelined from competing at the Paris Paralympic Games.
The 17-year-old swimmer, currently in China undergoing his training preparations for the Paralympics, says he was excluded from the team headed to Paris from Aug 28 to Sept 8, although he qualified to represent the country.
And Zy, who was born with a complete left arm, half a right arm, no right leg and a malformed left leg with only three toes, wants justice.
“I’m sure you’re well aware of the matters that are going on with the para-swimming team’s selection process for the Paris Paralympics. I don’t think the selection was right. I don’t think I was ranked lower,” he said in a video to Hannah.
"I know the minister is busy but I seek her help. It has been very demotivating and hurtful knowing that I may not be in the team for the Paris Paralympics,” he said.
Malaysia have two slots for the para-swimming event in Paris, and the Malaysian Para Swimming Association (Prepma) are expected to send Nur Syaiful Zulkafli and Imaan Aiman Redzuan.
Imaan is in the S14 category (intellectual impairment), while Zy competes in the S5 and SB4 category (physical impairment).
Zy, is ranked No. 7 in the men’s 200m freestyle S5; No. 10 in 100m freestyle S5; and No. 11 in the 100m breaststroke SB4.
Imaan is ranked No. 14 in the 100m backstroke S14.
Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) will make a decision on Thursday (July 18).
Zy feels that he should not have been assigned the bipartite (wildcard) slot but that, based on his qualifications and rankings, he deserves to be sent to Paris on merit.
He did not get in via the wild card.
MPC secretary-general and Paris Paralympics chef de mission First Admiral (rtd) Datuk Subramaniam Raman Nair said the selection was based on the athletes’ ability to win medals.
“Zy and Imaan compete in the same event, the men’s 100m backstroke S14, and Imaan has the potential to win a medal,” he said.
Subramaniam added that Prepma had applied for an additional wildcard slot for Zy Kher, but the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) rejected the application.
