Report: Disabled Palestinian athletes might miss Malaysia meet
IDF curfew on Gaza could force more than half of the team to miss the weeklong international competition.
By The Associated PressKUALA LUMPUR - Twenty-three disabled Palestinian athletes may be prevented from traveling to Malaysia for an international competition because of Israel's offensive in Gaza, news reports said Thursday.
While 10 members of the Palestinian contingent arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday, the rest of the team is stranded in Gaza due to a curfew imposed by Israel Defense Forces and may miss the weeklong Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, which begins Saturday, team member Khaled Fararja was quoted as saying by Malaysia's national news agency Bernama.
"It's quite difficult for them to come out from the territory now," he told Bernama. "We arrived from the West Bank yesterday, but the rest are still at the Gaza Strip."
Some 3,800 disabled athletes and officials from an expected 47 countries are scheduled to take part in the FESPIC Games, which is held every four years. Participants include those who are blind, wheelchair-bound, amputees, and others with cerebral palsy.
Palestinian participant, Kamal Abdeen, who will contest the table tennis, said his team's chance of clinching a medal was low because it had been unable to get enough practice, but they still it still wants to make its presence felt.
"We don't have high hopes on winning any medal. It's the participation that is important," he told Bernama.
Athletes will vie for medals in 19 sports including archery, athletics, badminton, cycling, fencing, judo, lawn bowls, weight lifting, sailing, shooting, soccer, swimming, table-tennis, bowling, wheelchair basketball and tennis.
An Asian Cup soccer qualifier between Singapore and Palestine scheduled for November 15 was canceled due to similar circumstances.
The match, which was scheduled to be held at Singapore's at Jalan Besar Stadium, was called due to "difficulties encountered by the Palestine team in traveling out of their country as a result of heightened political tension in Gaza," the Football Association of Singapore said in a statement.
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Simple to me If Israelis prevent acountry from representing themselves in an international competition then they themselves forgo participation in that particular competition.
That's why they don't even mention it!!!!
...and it coul be a good idea Israel using artillery as answer of qassams...
Or isn't that news?
nobody will be surprised. Israelis feel BIG when they persecute the disabled or attack children. Yet another milestone to Israel's award as the most despised nation on Earth.
Israel have to learn fair play and stop their action of killing civilians and using outdated radar to shell Palestinian territorries
See also http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/788528.html on collective punishment. JJ
Cases like these should be judged in their own right, and help should be given to allow them to attend. Security measures should be undertaken to make it possible.
Unfortunately, it is not so simple. The Palestinians are not acting responsible in terms of terror in their territory. Therefore, Israel is taking care of it for them. As a result, stuff happens... like curfews.
If Israel is preventing Palestinian athletes footballers and others from competing in International competitions. Then Israeli athletes should be banned as well. I bet that will ensure Palestinian participation.