There are many reasons as to why an athlete is dropped from a sports team. Injury, indiscipline and not being good enough, among the key reasons.
But, in Indonesia a gymnast, Shalfa Avrila Siani has been supposedly dropped from the SEA Games training squad for allegedly not being a virgin.
Shalfa’s mother Ayu Kurniawan, according to Indonesian media, was informed by the coaches that her daughter was always acting up and was not a virgin.
The mother was requested to come over to the national training center in Gresik to bring her daughter home. She had alleged that no official letter was given other than the verbal accusation by the national coach.
Ayu claimed that the coach had also accused Shalfa of late nights out.
Stung by the accusation, Shalfa’s parents brought her to the government clinic in their hometown in Kediri to undergo a medical check-up to prove her virginity.
Armed with a medical report confirming the chastity of the gymnast, reports have been lodged by the family with the Indonesian Sports Ministry, Indonesian Olympic Council (KONI) and also the Indonesian president himself.
The secondary 3 SMA student has been training with the rest of the national team since last month. Shalfa is said to be traumatised by the whole incident and has refused to return to school.
Shalfa is said to have won more then 40 junior events, including a bronze at the Asian Schools championships. She is also twice winner of Satya Yasa Cundamani Award for her sporting achievements.
The family are insisting that the Sports Ministry take immediate steps to clear the name of their daughter to ensure that she would be able to regain her confidence to continue in the sports she loves.
It is nearly 2020 and for such mentality to still exist is appalling. And dropping an athlete for such a disgusting excuse is despicable. It is no different if not worse, compared to players being dropped because of their race or religion.
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