Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican has ordered his officers and the National Sports Council (NSC) to contact and assist former national swimmer, Cindy Ong who has claimed to have been sexually harassed during her swimming days
Swimming with sharks - athletes recall coach s sexual assault
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Swimmer and mother of three Cindy Ong was featured in a
Harian Metro report, posing with her medals but the lewd comments from readers, who focused on her physique instead of her accomplishment, left the 37-year-old athlete dispirited. They don t look at the effort, they don t look at the achievement. It s so disheartening, she rued.
Speaking to
Malaysiakini, Ong shared how she had encountered sexual harassment and assault over the years, including from a national coach when she was a teenager.
Hailing from Ipoh, Perak, the seven-time -gold medallist at the FINA World Championship Masters category (for those aged 35-39) started her training in secondary school.
One for the album: Masters swimmer Cindy Ong (second from left) posing with her family members and elder brother Allen Ong (right), a former Olympian swimmer.
PETALING JAYA: Masters swimmer Cindy Ong raised the Malaysian flag high after she emerged as world No. 1 in the women’s butterfly 35-39 age-group.
Cindy’s time of 26.71 from the Japan Masters in January was the fastest for the 2020 season in the 50m freestyle, making her the first Malaysian to be ranked on top for a swimming discipline.
Russian Irina Shlemova came in second with 26.72.
Only three Asians made it to the top 10 for the 2020 season with Japanese swimmers Mayumi Yoshimoto (27.19) and Yuki Nagaya (27.38) ranked sixth and seventh respectively.
Malaysia’s Masters world champion swimmer Cindy Ong posing with the Fastskin swimsuit after signing an agreement with Speedo.
KUALA LUMPUR: There were Christmas cheers for Masters world champion swimmer Cindy Ong as swimwear maker Speedo has renewed its sponsorship commitments with her.
Cindy will be wearing the latest Fastskin swimsuit worn by the likes of American world champion Caeleb Dressel and Singapore’s Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling when she goes for any future competitions.
All yours: Former national swimmer Cindy Ong (right) posing with the sponsorship agreement with Speedo Outlet operations manager Sujatha Balakrishnan yesterday. SIA HONG KIAU/The Star