KUALA LUMPUR: Netizens have slammed the decision by former Poland swimmer and coach, Bartlomiej Kizierowski who has declined an offer by the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) to coach the national swimming squad because he feels that the political interference surrounding the 2019 World Para Swimming Championship which should have taken place in Kuching, Sarawak this July.
The Poland contingent flagbearer at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games who is also a specialist in the backstroke event, was supposed to have reported in for duty as a coach with the national swimming squad after Chinese New Year, but Kizierowski has instead changed his mind when he uploaded a new status on his Facebook account under the name of Bart Kizierowski.
In his Facebook status, Kizierowski boasted that he received a very lucrative offer to be coach for the Malaysia national swimming squad, but he decided to decline the offer because of personal reasons including the statements made by a few Malaysian leaders with regards to the rejection of the visa application by Israeli Para swimmers to take part in this year’s Para Swimming Championship in Kuching.
Many netizens responded by uploading the status, ‘We don’t care, we stand for Palestine which always has our support. Congratulations Malaysia, proud to be Malaysian! Anyway, Israel is not a country’.
Here are some of the comments made by netizens regarding the matter:
Siti Aisyah Samsi
“The plate did not crack and the rice is not cold… If you do not want… You think we want you here…”
Awang Nurjihan Asking
“There is professionalism on Malaysia’s part while you are not professional in your work. While you follow your heart, why it is different for Malaysians to follow their hearts to make a decision? Because sport at first upholds humanity. Surely no regret in not having you, next time please be professional before you ask others to.”
Thuki Adichiruven
“We Malaysians do not even care about that! As if you are the only qualified coach in the entire world!”
Fiona James
“You must be an Israeli with Polish citizenship, or you must have no heart on what’s happening to Palestinians… We don’t need you… It’s good that you don’t come.”
