KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — The National Sports Council (MSN) has decided not to take further action regarding allegations of sexual harassment involving a para swimming coach towards an athlete under his care, as reported by the mass media previously.
MSN, in a statement today, said that the case has been classified as ‘No Further Action’ (NFA) following the police investigation which did not find evidence to support the allegations.
MSN, through the Misconduct and Protection in Sports Committee (JSPS), has also conducted a thorough investigation, including interviewing various relevant parties.
“Based on the findings of the investigation, MSN, through the recommendations provided by JSPS, also found no basis or witnesses to support the allegations of misconduct,” the statement read.
Therefore, MSN said it has decided to reinstate the coach with the responsibility of training national para swimmers who are preparing for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games soon.
At the same time, MSN assured a safe environment for all parties involved in its training programmes and does not take any misconduct allegations lightly.
“MSN also has comprehensive and transparent complaint and investigation procedures, including prioritising the protection of privacy and confidentiality of all parties involved in any investigation conducted.
“In this regard, MSN hopes that all parties, including the mass media, understand that the mental and physical well-being of para athletes always remains a priority,” the statement added.
Last February, local media reported that the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM) confirmed that a para swimming coach was being investigated for sexually harassing an underaged para athlete.
According to the report, MPM president, Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin had said that the governing body had lodged a police report after receiving an email regarding the matter from the Malaysian Paralympic Swimming Association (MPSA). — Bernama
