Four years ago, Emad was frustrated at not being able to compete at the Doha Games because at 17 he was still ineligible. “I can’t wait for the Asian Games to show them what I’ve got,” Emad was quoted as having said then.
His wish came through with a bonus to boot, as he won the silver medal in his Asiad debut.
Emad opened his campaign on Nov. 24, when he outplayed Timor-Leste Manuel Marques 6-0 in the quarterfinals. He then beat Thailand’s Hirannith Saratham 3-0 to qualify for the final where he met Malaysian Puvaneswaran Ramasamy. The match was beyond expectations. The first four minutes ended 0-0. After another one-minute extension produced no result the referee had to make a decision on who was more dominating in the last minute. Although most of the karate fans agreed Emad was dominating, the referee handed victory to his Malaysian rival in a verdict that shocked everyone.
Emad feels the decision was unjust. “This happened before during the Asian Karate Championship this year in Hong Kong where the referee handed the victory to my Malaysian rival and made me settle for the bronze though I beat him hard to the extent he threw up on the floor. Now I’m kind of known as the oppressed player, ” he said.
Emad said, “Everyone came to me and said we all know you deserved it, no doubt about that.” Everyone included even the Asian Karate Federation president. “And though it mattered to me, history won’t keep that for me, I’ll always be the Asian silver medalist though I earned the gold!”
Al-Malki added karate will never improve this way, it’s not like in taekwondo where there is electronic scoring, and it all lies in the hands of the referee. “Maybe that’s why they won’t include it in the Olympics. Its just unfair and it continues,” he said.
Khalid Al-Hibjar, Saudi karate team manager said, “We were all ready to celebrate our gold medal, held the flag up high, and we even saw the Malaysian athlete kicking the floor in disgust before the referee announced his decision, as if he knew he did not give his best, but when the decision was announced, of course, the Malaysian athlete was overwhelmed and didn’t expect it.”
The referees committee gave Emad two votes, and the Malaysian got three votes. “It’s obvious this was going to happen since the head of the Asian Karate Referee Committee is Malaysian, but we can’t do anything about it in fear that it would also affect our other athletes who still have to take part in the next couple of days.
Al-Malki underwent a nine months-long training camp in Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Egypt. During this period he won the bronze at the Asian Karate Championship in Hong Kong, participated in Turkey Open Championship and won two bronze medals in the individual kata and team kata and emerged champion at the Egypt Karate University Championship.
