No Asian Games for S’pore U23 footballers after SNOC rejects appeal
Hami Syahin had one of Singapore’s best chances against Myanmar, but his team lost 2-0. That defeat may have cost them an Asian Games berth.
SINGAPORE – For the first time in over a decade. the national men’s under-23 football team will not feature at the Asian Games after their appeal was turned down by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) Appeals Committee on Tuesday (June 26).
Coached by local football icon Fandi Ahmad, the Young Lions had hoped for a positive result in an international friendly match against Myanmar on June 20 in order to bolster their case for inclusion in the Asiad.
But the under-23 side were beaten 2-0 at Bishan Stadium, just three months after a 3-0 defeat by Indonesia in another friendly.
The SNOC’s qualification criteria for the Asian Games is for individual athletes or teams to match the top-six result from the previous Games, or to beat opponents ranked at least sixth in the region.
The 2018 Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, from Aug 18 to Sept 2.
The 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, saw the under-23 footballers getting the green light just a day before the entry-by-name deadline, a month before the Games. They eventually finished third in their group behind Palestine and Tajikistan, and did not advance to the next round.
Responding to queries from TODAY, Mr Eric Ong, Football Association of Singapore’s head of national team management, said they respect the SNOC’s decision.
He added: “We will continue with the preparation of the team for next year's Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship qualification, as well as the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.”
National pole vaulter Rachel Yang also saw her appeal for the Asian Games rejected by the committee. The 36-year-old had bettered the sixth-placed mark of 3.9m from the 2014 Asian Games, after recording a height of 3.91 at the Thailand Open last June.
This was also within Singapore Athletics’ qualifying period for the Asiad, which was from April 15, 2017, to June 17 this year.
However, Yang’s effort was not recognised by the SNOC as it was achieved outside of the 13-month period stipulated by the council in its selection criteria for the Asian Games.
Yang told TODAY that she had previously asked Singapore Athletics staff “a couple of times” if her result from the Thailand Open was eligible for Asian Games qualification as it was outside the SNOC’s qualifying window. She was told that her result would stand as the association’s selection criteria and qualifying period had been approved by the SNOC.
“Disappointment is an understatement because this is meant to be my last Asian Games, and I have been training hard to do well for this one,” said Yang, who competed at the 2010 Asiad in Guangzhou.
“I had previously informed my sponsors that I had qualified for the Asian Games and they gave me additional support. It is quite embarrassing now that I am not selected.”
Yang said she plans to seek compensation of some S$31,000 from Singapore Athletics for loss of income, and her training camp expenses. She had taken no pay leave from her job as an assistant marketing manager from mid-March till the end of August in order to train for the Asian Games.
While the under-23 footballers and Yang were left disappointed on Tuesday, 30 athletes from six sports – contract bridge, jujitsu, silat, rugby 7s, sailing, and sport climbing – were successful in their appeal nominations, said the SNOC in a press release.
Among the group that earned the nod was May Ooi, a former national swimmer who now competes in jujitsu and mixed martial arts. The 41-year-old, who swam at the 1990 Asian Games and Olympics in 1992, will join the seven-strong jujitsu squad as the sport makes its debut in Indonesia.
Team Singapore will be represented by a total of 266 athletes in 21 sports at the 2018 Asian Games – the largest-ever for Republic at the multi-sports event.
The SNOC will submit its entries by name to the Indonesian organisers by June 30.
