Athlete and sports physician Ben Tan will lead Singapore’s 2020 Olympic team in Tokyo

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will have former national sailor Ben Tan leading the Team Singapore contingent as chef de mission, the announcement was mentioned in a press release by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Wednesday (Aug 28).

The Southeast Asian and Asian Games gold medalist, who also took part in the Laser event at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, said he was looking forward to Tokyo 2020 “with a lot of excitement.”

“The Olympics are the pinnacle for any athlete, and it’s the one thing many work their entire sporting careers for. That makes this appointment both a tremendous privilege, and also a great responsibility,” Tan said.

Dr. Ben Tan

In 2018, Dr Tan was elected as a vice-president to the SNOC and chaired the first SNOC Athletes’ Commission in 2005. The former Nominated Member of Parliament is currently chairing the World Sailing’s medical commission.

Dr Tan served as a Singapore Sports Council medical officer during which he took up roles as Team Singapore’s sports physician at the Asian Games and the SEA Games between 1996 and 2003.

SNOC secretary-general Chris Chan said: “Dr Ben Tan is no stranger to the sporting  fraternity in Singapore. His extensive experience as an athlete and sports physician will add tremendous value to the team.”

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, will be held from 24 July to 9 August 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. The city was announced as the host at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires on 7 September 2013.

There will be 33 types of sport, a total of 47 disciplines and 324 events including five additional sporting events such as baseball/softball, karate, sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding. -/TISG