Indonesian Women's Volleyball player, April Manganang sparks contoversy after playing agains Philippines on Wednesday.
A gender row hit the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Tuesday after the Philippines demanded that organisers carry out tests on a women's volleyball player from Indonesia.
A 23-year old spiker from North Sulawesi, Manganang was given the green light to compete pending the result of her gender test, which became the subject of controversy after the Philippines filed a formal protest before SEA Games organizers.
In an online report written in Bahasa, it states that Manganang's parents, Zambrut Manganang and Suryati Lano Bori, were poor and she tried to escape poverty by playing basketball. Then, she shifted to volleyball for economic reasons.
"I play volleyball in village tournaments to bring money for my family," she said, adding that the first payment she got from playing in a village tournament was a pack of boiled noodles and eggs.
A team official confirmed reports that the Philippines had asked for a gender test on Aprilia Santini Manganang of Indonesia, 23, ahead of their game on Wednesday. Please read full story, HERE!
Meanwhile, the Philippine protest urging a gender test for Manganang has been denied by Singaporean Southeast Asian Games organizers, according to Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc. president Joey Romasanta.
“They (the organizers) told us there was not enough material time to conduct the gender test on the Indonesian,” said Romasanta on the sidelines of the PH-Indonesia women’s volleyball match at the OCBC Arena here on Wednesday
Romasanta added that he was informed by the SEAG Organizing Committee thatit was only following the certification given by the International Volleyball Federation, known by its French acronym FIVB, clearing Santini to compete in an earlier FIVB-sanctioned competition.
The volleyball head, who is also the Philippine Olympic Committee First Vice President, said that he did know the competition where the Indon had been clearance by the FIVB.
Romasanta said the alternative was to place the game against Indonesia under protest, but was prevailed upon here by a Filipino FIVB official, who requested not to be identified, not to pursue it because “the FIVB has already spoken on the matter.”
National women’s coach Roger Gorayeb had earlier requested the Philippine contingent file a protest against Manganang because of her masculine-looking appearance and physique.
Seagames organizers denies the gender test for manganang © rappler
— K E N (@imsuperkenz) June 10, 2015
you know what's more upsetting than having no live coverage of the game? it is that they let Manganang play...
— #LabanPilipinas (@mahaizetayawa) June 10, 2015
April Manganang - controversial player of the Indonesian Women's Volleyball SEAGames team. #GirlfriendGoals pic.twitter.com/ORlYE3ws9T
— Albert Ray Alejandro (@Albrtrycrzljndr) June 10, 2015
Talon pa lang ni Manganang, di na pambabae!!! https://t.co/YnSrJEb9sB
— MessMinChin (@MessMinChin) June 10, 2015
"@JoeySVillar: The left photo was April Manganang and the right one is her most recent one. #SEAGames2015 pic.twitter.com/mllyRJFTBu" GENDERTEST
— Vanessa Yu (@yuvhane) June 10, 2015
Is censorship-conscious Singapore avoiding further protests on Manganang's gender? Delayed telecast will surely water down emotions.
— Tammy Mendoza (@mycolorisyellow) June 10, 2015
MANGANANG was obviously allowed to play, but PHI calls for gender test. No update yet except she leaps high pic.twitter.com/Ju0T3Tk224
— Marc Anthony Reyes (@1SportsCentered) June 10, 2015
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