Table tennis chief Lee Bee Wah will not stand for STTA re-election

SINGAPORE — A new leader is expected to take the helm at one of Singapore’s storied sports, as table tennis chief Lee Bee Wah announced today (Aug 15) that she will be stepping down from the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) at the biennial general meeting (BGM) on Sept 6.

A former varsity player, Lee, 53, took over the reins from former president Choo Wee Khiang in July 2008, serving three consecutive two-year terms before deciding not to stand for re-election. The STTA are expected to unveil potential candidates for the national sports association’s election on Aug 25, with Sembawang Member of Parliament (MP) Ellen Lee and Alex Yam, MP for Choa Chu Kang, tipped to challenge for the posts of president and deputy president.

Lee’s six-year term with the STTA saw the national paddlers winning three Olympic medals (one silver, two bronze) in the women’s singles and team event, a historic world championship title, and numerous gold medals at the Commonwealth and South-east Asian Games. A Member of Parliament for Nee Soon, Lee was also responsible for starting the pipeline to groom and develop local young talents in the sport, beginning with the introduction of the STTA-PAP Community Foundation programme for kindergarten children and the zone training centres for Singaporean players aged five to 11 years old.

The outgoing table tennis chief is hopeful that the STTA’s plans will reap its rewards in 20 years’ time, with the likes of young players Isabelle Li, Pang Xuejie and Clarence Chew making their mark on the international stage. “The goal is to maintain our world class standard, and close the gap between our local and foreign-born players,” said an emotional Lee at today’s press conference. “We hope to groom more players like Isabelle and Clarence. As to which level they can achieve, it will be up to them to work hard.”

Table tennis chief Lee Bee Wah will not stand for STTA re-election