Asian Games- Protests agains host unheeded in sailing competition

by Zulhilmi Supaat Bernama on 21 Nov 2010 Asian Games - Malaysia's Bernama News agency reports suggest sailing scandal. Here is the report in full.

Protests raised by almost all the competing countries, including Malaysia asking the jury to cancel wins obtained by China's competitors for using oar-shaped rudders went unheeded causing Malaysia to end up with only two silver and a bronze in sailing events.

Malaysia's sailing team manager Mohd Affendy Abdullah said wind speeds of around three to four knots today, the final day of the sailing competition in the 16th Asian Games here, also affected the performance of most teams.

'However, the oar-shaped rudders gave the hosts' competitors a distinct advantage in the absence of winds,' he told Bernama when met at the Shanwei Water Sports Centre, the venue for the sailing events, which is a five-hour journey by road from here.

Altogether, the national squad captured two silver and a bronze in the sailing events, which began on Monday.

Khairunnisa Mohd Affendy/Norashikin Sayed won Malayia's first silver in the Women's Double Handed Dinghy 420 after they tallied just 27 demerit points.

Singapore's Rachel Lee Qing Sin/ Cecilia Low took the gold (12.0 demerit points) while China's Wei Mengxi/Goa Haiyan the bronze (32 demerits points).

In sailing, the competitors with the lowest demerit points are adjudged the winners.

The second silver came from Ahmad Latif Khan Ali Sabri Khan in the Men's Dinghy Optimist after he collected 30 demerit points.

China's Zhang Xiaotian (CHN) won the gold (27.0) while Singapore's Ryan Lo Jun Han (SIN) took the bronze (34.0)

The pair of Ku Zamil Ku Anas/Mohamad Hafizuddin Mazelan contributed a bronze after collecting 39 demerit points in the Men's Double Handed Dinghy 420.

The gold in this event was won by the Singaporean pair of Liu Xiamen Justin/Cleng Feng Yuan (17.5) while South Korean pair Lee Sangmin/Yang Hoyoeb took the silver (34.2).

http://www.gz2010.cn/en/