Soh Rui Yong excluded from Asian Games roster by SNOC over ‘disparaging’ remarks

SINGAPORE: Singaporean athlete Soh Rui Yong, known for holding national records in four long-distance running events in Singapore, will not participate in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) has excluded him from the lineup for continuing to make what it has deemed inappropriate remarks.

The SNOC released the selection list of athletes who successfully appealed on Thursday (8th), and Mr Soh, despite his outstanding performance at the Phnom Penh SEA Games last month, was not included in the roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Mr Soh had previously faced a ban from representing Singapore due to his involvement in various incidents. These included comments made during the 2015 SEA Games, where he questioned his teammate Liu Weiyan’s sportsmanship and expressed dissatisfaction with the Olympic Council during the 2017 SEA Games.

Additionally, his acceptance of title sponsorship without permission, which is prohibited for Singaporean athletes, also caused issues.

After serving a five-year suspension, Mr Soh was given the opportunity to represent Singapore again at the recent SEA Games in Cambodia.

However, despite his nomination by the Singapore Athletics Federation, the appeal committee of the SNOC decided to exclude him from the Asian Games, upholding the previous decision to expel him. The committee cited Mr Soh’s failure to keep his promises, which became evident during and after his participation in the SEA Games in Cambodia.

SNOC further stated that Soh Rui Yong continued to engage in derogatory and mocking behaviour in public but did not provide specific details regarding their decision.

The news sparked mixed reactions among netizens. Some expressed sympathy for Mr Soh, believing that the authorities should show leniency and allow talented athletes the chance to bring glory to Singapore.

These individuals also demanded transparency regarding the reasons for his exclusion and questioned whether the authority was reading too much into Mr Soh’s comments.

However, others argued that athletes, as public figures, must exercise caution in their words and actions as they agreed with SNOC’s decision.

Mr Soh, who currently holds national records in the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, half marathon, and marathon events in Singapore, had previously expressed confidence in becoming the first local athlete to complete the 10,000-meter event in under 31 minutes if allowed to participate in the Asian Games.

Despite being dismissed once again, Mr Soh said he would maintain an optimistic and positive attitude. He intends to continue his focus on training and build upon the foundation he established at the SEA Games.

The Hangzhou Asian Games are scheduled for September 23 to October 8 this year.