16 June,2015 08:29 AM IST | | AFP
Thousands of people have shown their support for Malaysian gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi after she was criticised for competing in revealing clothing at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games
Farah Ann Abdul Hadi during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Singapore on June 8
Singapore: Thousands of people have shown their support for Malaysian gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi after she was criticised for competing in revealing clothing at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. By Monday, 11,000 people had "liked" the Facebook page "Farah Ann Abdul Hadi For Malaysia" which calls for "praise and support" for the double gold-medallist.
Farah Ann Abdul Hadi during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Singapore on June 8. Pic/AFP
Last week, some critics in the majority Muslim country slammed the 21-year-old, saying they could see the shape of her "aurat" (genitalia) in her leotard. Abdul Hadi wrote on the page: "I would just like to express my sincerest gratitude to all of you who have been supporting me. It is such an overwhelming feeling to have had such a great and positive respond from all of you."
"Women should not be stopped from sports, but they must prioritise the Islamic codes in sports attire," said Roszida Kamaruddin, head of the female wing of the National Muslim Youth Association, according to the Malay Mail. "Furthermore, there are many Muslim female athletes who succeed even by covering their aurat."
