KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — The internal investigation committee appointed to look into the disqualification of F20 (intellectual disability) shot putter Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli at the recent Tokyo Paralympic Games found that the athlete and coach could not prove they had arrived at the call room at the appointed time.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu announced that based on interview sessions and documents obtained by the committee, there was nothing that could prove that Muhammad Ziyad and his coach Mohd Faizol Harun were there at the appointed time although they assumed they had arrived before the registration period at the call room of the Tokyo Olympic Stadium last August.

"The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) will also ensure the necessary follow-up action to be taken by athletes, coaches and officials, especially for awareness, improvement and reference purposes so that this incident is not repeated.

"The throw made by Muhammad Ziyad at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, however, is greatly appreciated,” he said in a statement today.

Ahmad Faizal said that although Malaysia has to accept the decision made by the World Para Athletics (WPA) regarding the Muhammad Ziyad issue, the Malaysia Para Athletes Association and National Sports Council (NSC) will still submit Malaysia’s views following the confusion surrounding technical rules, especially regarding the "did not start” (DNS) rule imposed on the former 2016 Rio Paralympics champion.

Muhammad Ziyad was disqualified as the F20 men’s shot putt event gold medalist after recording a 17.94 metre (m) throw, which was also a new world record, at the recent Tokyo Paralympics.

The 31-year-old athlete was classified as DNS following a protest by the Ukrainian team that claimed Muhammad Ziyad had reported in late at the waiting room before the competition began.

Ukrainian shot putter Maksym Koval was announced as the gold medalist with his throw of 17.34m, shattering Muhammad Ziyad’s world record of 17.29m set during the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.

On September 3, KBS agreed to establish an internal investigation committee supervised by the NCS with the participation of independent members, led by former Public Services Department director-general Tan Sri Borhan Dolah to look into Muhammad Ziyad’s disqualification. — Bernama