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SINGAPORE - Luan Wei's parents had to cough up 20,000 yuan (S$4,043) in penalties when they yanked their son out of the Shanghai Sports Development School after the shot putt thrower was recruited by the Singapore Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA) in 1999 to represent the Republic in regional and international meets.
But five years later, the athlete, one of a clutch of China-born throwers brought here under Singapore's foreign sports talent scheme, was dropped by the association for sub-par performances.
This, the Subordinate Courts heard on Wednesday, has led to the athlete's parents incurring further costs, according to lawyer Edmond Pereira, who is acting for the plaintiffs.
Luan Wei and his mother Zhang Ping, are claiming damages from the association for loss of opportunities he suffered in his education and athletics career as result of the sacking.
Their case is that the SAAA, now known as the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA), had allegedly made eight "promises" at their meeting in 1999, one of which was that the SAA would secure Singapore citizenship for Luan Wei within a year.
In continuing his cross-examination of Madam Zhang Wednesday, defence counsel Giam Chin Toon pointed out that the SAA could not have promised citizenship as the matter was out of the association's jurisdiction.
Luan Wei's status as a full- or part-time athlete was also contested.
Senior counsel Giam revealed that the SAA had tried to resolve the issue in 2004, but Madam Zhang and her husband, Luan Da Ren, had rejected their overtures.
The parents had asked for S$500,000 in compensation then. - TODAY
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