Marathon athlete Soh Rui Yong was banned by the Singapore Athletics Federation from participating in the 31st Vietnam SEA Games for reasons outside of his profession.
The Singaporean has the best Marathon record of 2 hours 22 minutes 59 seconds, the shortest in Southeast Asia and the achievement was only set in December 2021. He won the 2015 in Singapore and 2017 in Malaysia.
In 2019, when Soh Rui Yong did not attend, the athlete who won the Marathon gold medal at the SEA Games had a record of 2 hours 26 minutes 48 seconds.
The Straits Times reported the spokesperson as saying that SNOC rejected SA’s nomination for Soh’s SEA Games participation because his conduct “fell short of the standards of attitude and behaviour the SNOC expects of and holds its athletes to”.
“Soh’s conduct and behaviour has continued to fall short of those standards,” the spokesperson said.
“There has been no attempt by him to make amends, correct or apologise for his conduct and behaviour. Instead, there have been continued and persistent actions by Soh to challenge, mock, threaten and/or disrespect organisations and individuals including the SNOC.
“The SNOC views such conduct and behaviour as unbecoming of an athlete that wishes to be selected to represent his country at major Games, and as contrary to the aforesaid requirement of the Olympic Charter.” he added.
Sharing about the decision of the Singapore Athletics Federation, Soh could not hide his disappointment: “The Singapore Olympic Committee missed a gold medal by not choosing me. At the two SEA Games I attended, I myself won gold medals. That achievement says it all.”
The Vietnam Athletics Federation recently announced the 31st SEA Games marathon course. The track consists of 8 loops around the area of My Dinh Stadium. The same running track is located entirely in Nam Tu Liem district, including: inside the stadium and the campus of My Dinh stadium, part of the F1 race track and routes such as Do Xuan Hop, Tan My, Le Duc Tho, Le Quang Dao.
