Such action, he said, should not punish those involved but ensure such incidents do not recur.

“I understand the people’s anxiety after this incident. I was disappointed, too.

“But is punishing a coach, who has been so successful in unearthing a raw talent and grooming him to the international level, the way forward?” he told a media conference after visiting the Yan district youth council building here.

“Even if he (coach Mohd Faizol Harun) feels responsible for the incident, but if it results in him no longer being able to train any national athletes, I think it will be a loss not only for the athletes but also to sports in the country,” he added.

“Although Faizol has admitted and taken responsibility for the incident, I, as the youth and sports minister, also have to take responsibility, as should all the parties involved.

“In addition, we need to strengthen the role of those taking care of the athletes,” Faizal said.

Yesterday, Faizol said he took full responsibility for what had happened after Ziyad was disqualified in the men’s shot put F20 (intellectual impairment) category.

On Aug 31, Ziyad was denied the gold medal in the men’s F20 shot put event. His throw of a distance of 17.94 metres was also a new world record for the event.

He was classified as “Did Not Start” (DNS) following a protest lodged by Ukraine, which claimed that Ziyad and two others — Todd Hodgetts of Australia and Jordi Patricio of Ecuador — had been late in entering the call room.

Ukraine’s Maksym Koval was announced as the gold medallist with a throw of 17.34m, breaking Ziyad’s world record of 17.29m that he had set at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.