Shalfa Avrila's Removal Controversy And The Threat Of Coach's Dismissal

Press conference regarding gymnastics athletes who will be discharged ahead of the SEA Games (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The 2019 SEA Games athlete from the sport of floor gymnastics from Kediri, East Java, Shalfa Avrila Siani, was forcibly sent home by the coaching team from Persani (Indonesian Gymnastics Association) because she was accused of not being a virgin. Shalfa was replaced by Yogi Novia Laila Ramadhani from Central Java.

Chairman of PB Persani, Ita Yualita, admitted that he was surprised by the news that Shalfa's death was due to accusations of not being a virgin. However, he emphasized that the removal of Shalfa's name was purely due to decreased performance.

"Everything is based on the results of the national championship, promotion-relegation, control training, and athlete performance. PB Persani has done control training to the national training team. Shalfa's decrease is quite significant, around 1.4, and even one decrease is very significant," he said during a press conference. , at the Kemenpora Building, Senayan, Jakarta, Friday, 29 November.

Ita explained that Yogi was an SKO Ragunan athlete from Central Java. At the Yogi National Championship, Yogi received one silver for the individual balance beam category and two bronze medals for the all around and multilevel bar category.

Not only won achievements from the PB Persani National Championship. According to Ita, Yogi also reaped achievements at the PPLP championship in Bandung and managed to bring home two gold medals in the all around and team categories.

"This is our reference. Yogi ranks third, the number is 45,133. Meanwhile, Shalfa ranks 37, the score is 21,132. And he (Shalfa) only has two tools. Because this is all around. 21 is indeed from two tools, but what we need is four. tools. Because artistic moments get tools, "he said.

Ita said that the four tools Yogi followed were vaulting, uneven bars, beam and floor. Meanwhile, Shalfa only participated in the two categories of tools. Therefore, it became the basis for Yogi's departure to the 2019 SEA Games.

"So, for Yogi, he all joined. For Shalfa, he only participated in two. On the beam and floor, the other two were not there because he did not participate. So this is what makes us also see that he (Shalfa) has not been able to. Even though the number is 21 for the two, but we see the whole because it is all around. Because we are chasing for the team too, "he explained.

Despite having a fairly good achievement, said Ita, this is the first time Yogi has participated in an international championship, in this case the SEA Games.

In communicating with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the leader of the SEA Games group, Ita also stated that PB Persani always puts forward athletes' achievements as the basis for selecting athletes to represent Indonesia in the international arena.

"We select athletes based on achievement and we convey to CdM (Chef de Mission) and Menpora about the change in name (gymnastics athletes who go to the SEA Games)," he said.

As is known, the removal of Shalfa Avrila caused controversy. You see, the removal was called by the Shalfa family because the athlete was no longer a virgin.

There is also an assumption that the problem of virginity is one of the determinants for the selection of gymnastics athletes. But Ita denied this.

"I asked the coach, is there a requirement for virginity in gymnastics? We are sure that there is not because there are also married athletes. In the international arena, at the Olympics, there is Oksana (Chusovitina, a gymnastics athlete) who has 43 years of children. So there is no problem. , "he said.

Fire Coach

PB Persani promised to impose sanctions on the coach if he was proven to accuse one of his athletes of not being a virgin so that he was removed from the 2019 SEA Games national plate.

"We (Persani) are regulated internationally. (The rules) are very strict for the coaches. The behavior of the coach to the athletes is also regulated. If the athlete feels the coach is sexually harassing, the coach can be penalized. The coach must not abuse words or deeds, "he said.

If it is true that the coach accuses the athlete of not being a virgin, Ita continued, this is a serious violation because it is sexual harassment.

"If what happened before, we are no longer involved. What is clear is that coaching must stop because it will have no good impact," said Ita.

Ita explained that the sanctions are not up to license revocation. This is because his party does not have the authority to do this.

"The trainer's license actually exists now, but frankly, there are still a few who have the license. So we don't have the authority. The license is directly from FIG," he explained.

However, Ita added, his party would still ask for information from the SEA Games national plate coaches regarding the issue of athlete removal and virginity issues. The head coach of the gymnastics team at the 2019 SEA Games is currently held by Indra Sibarani

"Pak Indra (Sibarani) asked for time until the competition (2019 SEA Games) is over and will return on 5 (December). We have to hear from the coaching team before going to the family. We don't want to polemic. In time we will confirm," he said.

On that occasion, Ita also responded to the question of Irma's name, who was mentioned by the legal team for the Shalfa family, Imam Muklasin, as the accusation that the athlete was not a virgin.

"I don't know. Irma is the trainer in East Java. As far as I know he is the trainer for the regional training camp. The (staff) trainer for the national training center (in East Java) is Zahari," he said.