PETALING JAYA, Dec 24 — Outgoing Malaysia diving coach Yang Zhuliang has denied beating his charges.

But the 53-year-old revealed that his assistant Huang Qiang did beat Pandelela Rinong as punishment for losing a volleyball game, which eventually turned into a "fight”.

Malay Mail reported on Friday that Huang Qiang beat Pandelela and that was cited as one of the main reasons for Yang’s removal.

Yang explained: "I can’t remember exactly the time ... they were actually playing volleyball. The rule was the loser would be kicked. However, I did not play.

"When Pandelela lost, Huang kicked her.

"Pandelela scolded Huang. He asked Pandelela ‘what it was all about’ and she scolded him again.

"Huang lost his temper and kicked Pandelela again. Pandelela took her slippers and brushed it on Huang’s face. They started fighting and both had to be pulled apart by the other divers.

"We then had a meeting and everyone was critical of Huang’s behaviour and felt he should not have acted that way because he was a coach.

"He needed to be patient and I criticised Huang too,” he told Malay Mail in a WhatsApp interview.

Since then, Yang said games between coaches and athletes were not allowed.

"No jokes too, because athletes will lose the respect for their coaches. They will develop a relationship as friends.

"From then on, no volleyball games and no losing party getting kicked. We stopped that game,” Yang said.

Despite being urged by some of his charges, particularly Cheong Jun Hoong, to stay, the China-born coach will leave when his contract expires on Dec 31.

"No, I will leave. I’m just waiting for my contract to expire. It’s time to be with the family,” he said.

A check with a few national divers confirmed Yang’s claim that he personally did not beat them.