StandWithUs Applauds IPC Decision To Strip Malaysia From Hosting World Para Swimming Championships January, 2019
(LOS ANGELES, January 27, 2019) - StandWithUs applauds the January 27 decision by the International Paralympic Committee to deprive Malaysia of the right to host the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships to be held this summer. On January 12, 2019, Malaysia announced it would not permit Israeli athletes to participate in a competition in the country that was intended to serve as a qualifying event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has a long history of making anti-Semitic comments. In his book, “The Malay Dilemma,” Mahathir wrote, “The Jews are not merely hook-nosed, but understand money instinctively.” He repeated these offensive views in an October 2, 2018 BBC interview in which he also disputed the number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
“The IPC Governing Board is to be commended for taking this appropriate step. This was a right move that sends a clear and unequivocal message that discrimination against any athletes based on national origin is morally unacceptable,” said Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs.
"StandWithUs led the charge for direct action online. Our campaigning on social media reached over one million people and garnered engagement from over 20,000 people in our calls for direct action to write and tweet to the International Paralympic Committee to move the championships following Malaysia's discrimination against Israeli athletes. We thank our supporters and partner organizations for their contributing efforts,” Rothstein said.
“It is noteworthy that the IPC decision was announced today (January 27), which is International Holocaust Remembrance Day,” said Rothstein.
About StandWithUs
StandWithUs (SWU) is a seventeen-year-old, international, non-profit Israel education organization. Through fellowships, conferences, materials, social media, educational films and missions to Israel, StandWithUs supports people around the world who want to educate their campuses and communities about Israel.
Based in Los Angeles, SWU has chapters throughout the United States, in Israel, Canada, the U.K and Brazil.
