Olympic swimmer Bart Kizierowski refuses offer to coach Malaysian team over ban on Israeli athletes after country loses Paralympics rights. An Olympic swimmer from Poland said he turned down an offer to coach Malaysia’s national swimming team in part because of the country’s ban on Israeli athletes.
Bart Kizierowski reportedly wrote on Facebook last week: “Yesterday, I was offered a very attractive coaching position from the Malaysia Swimming Federation. Among other personal reason(s), I declined that position due to recent statements made by Malaysian politicians regarding (the) refusal of visas for athletes who were supposed to compete in the World Championship organized by that country (Malaysia).” He also thanked the swimming community in Malaysia for the offer, the local English-language newspaper The Star reported. The post has since been removed. He reportedly received hundreds of comments ranging from anti-Israel to anti-Semitic. More of the comments appear on unrelated posts on his Instagram account. Kizierowski represented Poland at four Olympic Games in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. He won a bronze medals for Poland in two World Championships. He currently is coaching swimming in Spain. On Sunday, the International Paralympic Committee stripped Malaysia of the right to host the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships over its refusal to allow Israeli athletes to enter the country to participate. Foreign Minister Mahathir Mohamad also said that Israeli athletes would be banned from any competitions in Malaysia. Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Entry to Malaysia on an Israeli passport is prohibited Source: israelnationalnews.com
