Soh Rui Yong criticizes ageism and selection policies in Singapore Aquatics

SINGAPORE: Singaporean national long-distance runner Soh Rui Yong, who holds six national records, took to Facebook to voice his concerns regarding the ongoing selection controversy between swimmers Quah Ting Wen and Gan Ching Hwee for the upcoming Paris Olympics.

He criticised the unclear selection policies in Singapore Aquatics, and highlighted discrimination by ageism in Singapore society, challenging the notion that athletic performance declines significantly with age.

He encouraged a more inclusive perspective towards athletes of all ages and expressed solidarity with Quah in navigating the emotional ups and downs of Olympic team selection.

Quah Ting Wen, who was earlier confirmed to be participating in the international competition, was announced to be excluded by Singapore Aquatics (SAQ) from the national squad for the Paris Olympics.

Quah, a seasoned Olympian with three previous Games, was initially part of the women’s 4x100m medley relay team that met the Olympic qualifying criteria.

However, SAQ’s decision to send Gan Ching Hwee instead, due to complex Olympic qualification rules, has left Quah sidelined.

In February, the quartet of Letitia Sim, Levenia Sim, Quah Ting Wen, and Quah Jing Wen met the Olympic qualifying standard.

However, only Letitia had met the OQT, meaning Singapore had three relay-only swimmers. AQUA initially granted an extra relay-only slot, but this was rescinded after Gan accepted an invitation to compete in the 1500m freestyle.

As a result, SAQ’s Selection Committee chose Levenia Sim (backstroke), Letitia Sim (breaststroke), Quah Jing Wen (butterfly), and Gan Ching Hwee (freestyle), leaving Quah out. Quah’s appeal was unsuccessful, and further appeals by SAQ to reinstate the extra relay-only slot were also rejected.

In his post on Tuesday (9 July), Mr Soh highlighted two significant issues within Singapore’s sports community.

Firstly, he criticized the unclear selection policies of sports officials, pointing out that this is not the first time such an issue has arisen within Singapore Aquatics.

He referenced a similar incident in 2021, where Quah was selected over Gan despite the latter having met the Olympic ‘B’ standard.

This year, the situation reversed, with Gan being selected over Quah for the 1500m freestyle, despite Quah initially being told she would be part of the 4x100m medley relay team.

Secondly, Soh condemned the ageism prevalent in the discussions around the selection.

He argued that comments suggesting Quah should give up her spot to the younger Gan were misguided, stating that meritocracy should be the guiding principle.

He emphasized that in sports, the faster athlete should be selected regardless of age, noting that Quah’s experience and performance could arguably make her a better choice for the relay team.

He drew parallels to other top athletes who continue to perform well into their 30s, underscoring that age should not be a limiting factor.

Soh shared his personal experiences to reinforce his point, recounting how he set multiple national records in his 30s and continued to achieve significant milestones.

He expressed sympathy for Quah, acknowledging the emotional toll of her exclusion and urging her to use her influence to create positive change in Singapore’s sports community.

“It’s never fun to be told you’re going to the Olympics one day and then told you’ve been withdrawn from the team a few days later.”

” If it’s any consolation, athletes in many other sports have been going through things like this for years. Perhaps this experience will galvanise her to use her influence and create positive change for Singapore sport, ” he added.

Singapore will now be represented by a team of five swimmers across seven events in Paris.

Ms Quah, the most decorated athlete in SEA Games history with 16 medals, remains uncertain about her future in swimming, stating, “I don’t want my career to end like this. But I do need time to process everything.”

Quah’s brother, Quah Zhengwen, also criticized the decision, condemning the authorities for their lack of transparency and honesty with the national athletes.

He expressed disbelief at how the situation was managed, calling the misrepresentation of information “disgusting.”