KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and sports minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican has ordered his officers and the National Sports Council to assist former national swimmer Cindy Ong, who claimed she had been sexually harassed during her swimming days.
He insisted that they would help her lodge a police report on the allegations and assured that the NSC would give their full cooperation in the investigation.
He admitted that he was angry and disappointed to learn of what Cindy and other athletes had to endure after a media outlet highlighted her claims recently.
“Matters like this can happen and will continue to happen to anyone, be they athletes, officers, coaches or support staff; male or female, if no action is taken.
“For me, there is no compromise or protection for any coach or official if found guilty. There shall be no cover-ups and no room for the predators,” he said in a statement on Facebook today.
Reezal also explained that no national athlete should endure such harassment because every athlete and official should be in a safe environment at the national training centre to develop their talent and sporting potential without any disruption.
As such, he said his ministry and the NSC would give full support and continue to empower platforms such as the NSC’s Athlete Representative Committee, the Misconduct & Harassment in Sports Committee and the Athletes’ Commission under the Olympic Council of Malaysia, for athletes and officials to be able to come forward easily if any unwanted incident occurred.
At the same time, he reminded Malaysians not to condone such harassment without taking any further action.
“We all have families, children, wives and siblings who might be exposed to such threats. It is difficult for us to handle the thought of being unable to protect the ones we love,” he said.
A local media outlet carried an exposé by Ong and another former national swimmer who also claimed to have been sexually harassed and sexually assaulted for years during their time as national swimmers. - FMT
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