Lion City Sailors owner Forrest Li set to run unopposed for FAS president
Sources told CNA that this comes after a candidate in former Balestier Khalsa vice-chairman Darwin Jalil's team was deemed ineligible for the upcoming FAS election.
Mr Forrest Li, who runs gaming platform Garena and online marketplace Shopee under New York listed and Singaporean parent company Sea Group, spoke to CNA during the Singapore FinTech Festival.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Billionaire tech entrepreneur and Lion City Sailors owner Forrest Li is set to run unopposed for president at the upcoming Football Association of Singapore (FAS) election on Apr 28, CNA understands.
Sources told CNA that this comes after a candidate in former Balestier Khalsa vice-chairman Darwin Jalil's team was deemed ineligible to participate. This meant that Jalil's opposing slate is not eligible to run.
Jalil stepped down from this role with Balestier Khalsa late last week.
Li, the billionaire founder of tech giant Sea, had announced his intention to run for FAS' top position last month.
This came after FAS called for the election of council members for a four-year term from 2025 to 2029.
The election will take place during an extraordinary congress on Apr 28, said FAS previously. Its annual congress usually takes place in the third quarter of the year.
Incumbent FAS president Bernard Tan told CNA on Mar 29 that he will not be seeking re-election.
In the slate-based election, a team comprising nine candidates will be elected en bloc, with its leader succeeding Tan as FAS president.
Of the other eight members of the team, one will serve as deputy president, four as vice-presidents and three as council members.
An additional six council members will also be proposed and elected individually.
FAS requirements call for its council to include at least one woman.
Nominations opened on Mar 17 and closed on Mar 31, and an announcement would be made on Friday (Apr 18) on the candidates who qualified to stand in the election.
In response to queries from CNA, FAS reiterated that it would announce eligible candidates on Friday.
"This is in accordance with timelines outlined in the FAS Electoral Code," said FAS.
