ARICCO SAYS BROUGHT WRONG ATTIRE TO FINALS, ADMITS MISTAKE

BY P.VIJIAN

NEW DELHI, Oct 9 (Bernama)-- Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medalist Aricco Jumith said it was a "mistake" that he wore the wrong attire, bearing the Sabah flag, during his medal-winning lift Tuesday.

The Sabah-born lifter was seen wearing black apparel (top) with a visible
Sabah flag instead of donning the standard Malaysian competition attire -- which
has raked up a controversy.

"I have two trunks (suitcases), one with a Malaysian flag and another with a
Sabah flag, which I use for training. On that day I mistakenly brought the trunk
with the Sabah flag which I only realised when I was changing for the
competition.

"It was too late and I could not go back to the Games Village to change
because it is far from the venue. It was my mistake, what can I do?," Aricco
told Bernama.

Now, questions are being asked how half a dozen Malaysian officials at the
Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, where the competition took place, failed to
spot the glaring blunder and help out the young lifter.



The 20-year-old lifter, from Kota Kinabalu, won the medal in the men's
62kg-class category.

"I was not aware of the incident. I am not sure what he was wearing because
I was at the back, I need to check," said team manager Zainuddin Joseph, when
asked to comment on the episode.

Under international sports rules athletes are required to wear the national
attire and not an outfit with a state flag.

-- BERNAMA