2 times SEA Games gold medalist, and SIngapore’s unbeatable marathon champion, Soh Rui Yong, will not be selected to represent Singapore at this year’s SEA Games in Manila. This is despite Singapore sending its biggest ever contingent for an overseas game.
To put things in perspective, Soh is the indisputable marathon and long distance running champion in South East Asia, and he himself was solely responsible for 50% of Singapore’s track and field’s gold haul at the 2017 Games. And it is most likely that if Soh was taking part in the Games this year, Singapore would have been guaranteed at least one gold medal already. He is that good.
According to SNOC, Soh was not selected based on his attitude. Their statement read: “Since the 2017 SEA Games, there have been numerous instances where Soh has displayed conduct that falls short of the standards of attitude and behaviour that the SNOC expects of and holds its athletes to, considering that they are held up and seen as representatives of the country and as examples to our sporting youth. As such, the SNOC has decided to reject SA’s nomination for his national representation at the 2019 SEA Games.”
Soh replied back, saying SNOC and Tan Chuan-Jin, the head of SNOC was petty. His reply: “I’m disappointed that SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin and his team have chosen to behave in such a petty manner. This is akin to primary school playground politics where kids go, ‘I don’t friend you already!’ just because you say something they don’t like.”
So, this is really an obvious case of government organisation not happy with someone just because they were outspoken in their criticism against the said agency, so cut them off and claim attitude problem. Just like how the government handles all things against their critics.
