The government's decision to leave the Commonwealth on Thursday has robbed Maldives' opportunity to participate in the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games -- and lost out on extensive and invaluable training slots for local athletes.
The Commonwealth Games is one of the largest multi-sport event held among athletes from the 53 member countries, every four years since 1930. The Maldives have competed in eight Commonwealth Games, beginning in 1986, four years after it joined the bloc.
Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC) secretary general Ahmed Marzooq explained that the Commonwealth Games Federation funds training and coaching of athletes in the two years after the Olympics.
The loss of funds and other technical aid would be a major blow to Maldivian sport, Marzooq lamented.
Maldives was in line to receive funds until the end of 2018 from the Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Youth Games and the Youth Olympics budgets.
But the abrupt decision to leave the Commonwealth would cut two thirds of the funding, he explained.
"In the two years before every Olympic Games, the Olympic Council provides us the funds to send our athletes to coaching camps and training. The next two years all the funds and aid are provided by the Commonwealth Games Federation. But we will lose all that," he added.
Marzooq said several young athletes have already been sent abroad for training based on the funding Maldives stands to receive from the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The Commonwealth Games has always provided an opportunity for Maldivian athletes to compete and gain invaluable experience before the Olympics.
Foreign minister Dr Mohamed Asim flanked by Attorney General Mohamed Anil during a press conference told reporters that the decision was “extremely difficult,” but was necessary to “protect the sovereignty” of the archipelago.
Asim said the Maldives government has fully cooperated with the Commonwealth since the controversial resignation of former president Mohamed Nasheed in 2012.
“Regrettably, the Commonwealth has not recognised that progress and achievements that the Maldives accomplished in cultivating a culture of democracy in the country and in building and strengthening democratic institutions,” Asim added.
Maldives government has been forced to ward off intense international criticism especially from the Commonwealth over the continued crackdown on dissent, jailing of political opponents and increased rights violations.
The decision comes weeks after the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) placed Maldives on its formal agenda and warned the archipelago of suspension from the Commonwealth if it fails to make substantial progress to resolve the persistent political strife in the Maldives.
CMAG, a watchdog body comprising of eight foreign ministers, laid out a six-point reform agenda in February, which includes the release of political prisoners and judicial reform.
During the body’s sit-down late September, the ministers expressed deep disappointment at the lack of progress in the priority areas.
“… in the absence of substantive progress across the priority areas, the Group would consider its options, including suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth, at its next meeting, in March 2017,” a statement after the sit-down read.
The CMAG’s demands also included calls for steps to prevent use of anti-terror laws to stifle dissent, swift action on recommendations for judicial reform and freedom and space for civil society.
“CMAG has continued to take unjust and biased actions against us. They’ve made life very difficult for the Maldives because we are strategically small,” the foreign minister said.
The Attorney General during the press conference accused CMAG of attempting to circumvent the rule of the law in the Maldives.
“We have always admitted that Maldives remains at the infancy stage of democracy and needs to strengthen every state institution. But CMAG has been asking to intervene in certain trials. To influence court verdicts. That is something we simply cannot do. It’s against every international law and is clearly an infringement of our sovereignty,” Anil said.
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