Dato’ Amarjit Singh,
Malaysia Representative to The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Dear Dato’
The Giro D’Italia issue is about what we Malaysians want
They say politics and sports should not mix. This is true when you have disputes that DO NOT involve lives being lost, a government that adopts apartheid policies, and a group of people being systematically annihilated.
When this is the case, any decent human with a conscience will say that it is impossible to divorce politics and sports.
In this case, sports cannot be used an instrument to legitimize such actions and instead should be one of a myriad of instruments to pressure governments and countries to conform to principles that all of humanity adhere to.
I hope you will convey to the UCI our disagreement with the decision to start the above race in Israel on 4 May 2018.
As Malaysians, I and countless others, have the right to dictate how we want our representative to the UCI to present us. And we want you, Dato’ to convey to the UCI that we are a country with a conscience. Humanitarian concerns take priority over sports, today, tomorrow and forever.
Thank you Dato’.
Warm regards,
Sani
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Dato’ Amarjit Singh,
Malaysia Representative to The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Dear Dato’
Relocate the Giro D’Italia race from Israel
I hope you will convey to the UCI our disagreement with the decision to start the above race in Israel on 4 May 2018.
Israel is an apartheid state and does not deserve to be part of the prestigious Giro D’Italia.
The decision to start the race in Jerusalem is a BIG mistake because Giro d’Italia is reinforcing Israel’s illegal claim of sovereignty over the city of Jerusalem, when no country recognises Israel’s sovereignty over East Jerusalem nor any part of Jerusalem, East or West, as Israel’s capital.
Giro d’Italia’s dishonest insistence on keeping politics out of sport has proven to be nothing more than lip service to deflect criticism for its acceptance of a large Israeli bribe in return for politicizing the race and using its name to whitewash human rights violations.
It is time for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world cycling body which has remained on the sidelines from the start, to step in and take measures to avoid tarnishing one of the world’s most beloved cycling races. Giro d’Italia’s Plan B must be put into effect immediately by relocating the race.
Thank you Dato’.
Warm regards,
Puan Sri Norma Hashim
Treasurer
Viva Palestina Malaysia