Friday, March 29, 2024

National Olympic Committee of Zambia defends Tilka after attacks over her nationality

Share

The National Olympic Committee of Zambia has jumped to the defence of Tilka Paljk, one of the two swimmers competing as part of Team Zambia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Some Zambia took to social media attacking Paljk after she was announced as one of the two flag carriers for the opening ceremony.

They questioned her nationality stating that she is not Zambian enough to represent the country at the global sporting showpiece.

But National Olympics of Zambia President Alfred Foloko said the attacks on Paljk her unfortunate.

“Our beloved sports fans, the comments I have seen all over social media over the past few days makes a sad reading. Only a week ago we were burying our founding father, Dr. Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda, who was clear about building One United Nation,” Foloko said.

“These comments border on division and segregation. Something Zambia has stood against for the past 50 years. It is very saddening,” he said.

“For us as the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ), we have weathered such bias and will continue to focus on the facts whilst upholding the law. The principle of gender equality represented at the games under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is one of the key agenda recommendations in the strategic plan.”

“Tilka Paljk is one of the two swimmers competing as part of Team Zambia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. She like the other 29 athletes is representing Mother Zambia in all aspects. NOCZ has a mandate to ensure that two athletes of different gender carry the flag of the country they are representing at the time of the Opening Ceremony at all Multi-sport competitions such as the Olympic Games and in this particular the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games being held right now.”

Foloko said Paljk is a bonafide Zambian and deserves respect and admiration for her efforts to carry the flag and represent her country.

“We disregard such ignorant hurtful comments from our fans who may not have an idea of what constitutes a citizen. We encourage Tilka to remain focused fully believing in herself and ensuring to perform at her very best while dressed in Zambian colours,” he said.

29 COMMENTS

  1. We need those Chambians to win us some gold medals. It’s not all about stealing Africans to boost European teams.

    4
    10
  2. Tilka has been representing Zambia from a very long time. I wonder how some people can be shallow minded by saying such hurtful things.. Continue doing your best Tilka my good friend

    31
  3. “…not Zambian enough…”
    WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BEZAMBIAN ENOUGH?
    COULD ANY ONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME IN THE CONTEXT OF Tilka Paljk THE YOUNG LADY REPRESENTING ZAMBIA IN JAPAN?
    I SUPPOSE IF SOMEONE CAN REPRESENT YOU WHILE YOU DO NOTHING AND PRETEND TO BE MORE ENGLISH THAN BLACK AMBIAN- FOR ME THAT’S THE PERSON WHO IS MORE ZAMBIAN THAN YOU. AFTER ALL SOME OF THE ZAMBIANS IN THE UK (MAYBE OTHER COUNTRIES, TOO) BALILAPA NO KUBWELELA KU ZAMBIA UPON ACQUIRING FOREIGN PASSPORTS- UK IN THIS CASE. IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE A BETTER ZAMBIA JUST BY YOUR COLOUR BUT YOU CANNOT REPRESENT ZAMBIA, YOU BETTER JUST SHUTUP.

    23
    1
  4. What is her background? A little bio would help some of us understand what this controversy is all about?

    9
    6
  5. KZ SPROUTING SEWERAGE AGAIN
    BLAMING UPND I AS YOU S T U P I D MAN
    WOULDNT BE SURPRISED IF THIS WAS A PF STUNT

    9
    4
  6. The shallow minded would perhaps consider Michael Jordan to be more Zambian… and Barack Obama a president of Kenya. Racists.

    15
  7. Sadly to say some zambians a becoming racist…..
    Most countries have moved from racism but some zambians a ebbing into it
    Did you see flag carrier for Japan?!! It was a black man…. Check other countries how mixed they are

    11
  8. She is Zambian – end of. In spite of some of the abhorrent racial issues that the world is grappling with, globally we have moved on to recognise that being born and bred in a territory, being naturalised, having long term attachments to the country you live in etc; warrant you having a genuine belonging or citizenship to that country. But then, as is apparent here, some people have never moved on or been educated or enlightened to that effect.

    12
  9. ***colour ububi, ni **. So what if she came to Zambia when she was two years old. Youths of today are so useless that they will set this country on fire if we are not careful. We should start thinking of shutting down social media and only remain with google.

    11
    2
  10. This behavior is common in African countries. When you become visible they start to scrutinize your underwear, hair color, whether your mother was on the Zambian side or not when giving birth and other non-issues. This is the result. Just ignore the haters.

    12
  11. I’m a Chinese in zambia I have a zambia fiancee and she is pregnant now, how will my child be looked by zambian people I hope he/she will not be hated

    14
    2
  12. We peace loving people are not known to be racists. I challenge anyone here who can tell me how you say racist in any of our native languages? How do you take social media comments which could be posted by anyone with an internet connection and possibly non Zambian as views represented by Zambians? NOCZ should just brush aside those nonsensical comments on social media. We in Zambia will cheer on anyone who adopts our country and represent it at any event. Paljk… go girl, don’t allow these haters get to you!

  13. You racists grow up. Remember when you point at your friend with one finger, four are pointing back at you. In the USA, Anold Shwarzenegar, went to the USA as a champion in the body building competition, after representing his country birth Austria, but ended up becoming a governor of California state, Your own Dambisa Moyo whom you always marvel at, was never born in the USA but she is busy carrying the American flag. Your very own Lukwesa Buraki is busy representing the UK, no one is throwing stones at them. To all those throwing stones at the young girl I think you need to grow up, otherwise you are the ones promoting tribalism in Zambia. Those promoting racism can only be Chishimba Kambwili’s offspring.

  14. And tomorrow you will cry about Rahim Sterling,Marcus Rashford no banankwe being racially abused by white rogues?

  15. Zambian always ion colour discrimination, Zambian will not develop, you guys making noise just swim swim u will represent zambia.

  16. Even chambians would have been included. It doesn’t matter where someone was born. If He/She can do something for the nations better than some indigenous African who are goal keepers only

  17. Romelu Lukaku is Belgian
    Charley Musonda Jnr is Belgian
    Paul Pogba is French
    Bukayo Saka is British
    Tilka Paljk is Zambian: end of the story! Next?

  18. Where were you when the selection was being done? It does not matter whether you are blue, Black, Yellow, geen, red or where you come from, as long as you acquired the Zambian citizenship in legal way as prescribed by law, then you a ZAMBIAN. By the way people call the French national team as Africa United or Africa National Team. Did you hear that…

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading