Paddler Feng Tianwei denies wrongdoing, vows to play on
SINGAPORE – Three days after she was unceremoniously axed from the national table tennis team, Feng Tianwei has vowed to plough on and continue representing Singapore in major Games and international competitions.
SINGAPORE – Three days after she was unceremoniously axed from the national table tennis team, Feng Tianwei has vowed to plough on and continue representing Singapore in major Games and international competitions.
The 30-year-old finally broke her silence on Friday (Oct 28). In a statement issued to the media, she said: “I thank everyone for your attention and apologise for making everyone worry. I needed some time to adjust (my emotions) as this incident happened suddenly.”
Feng, who won an Olympic team silver in 2008 before clinching two bronze medals at the 2012 London Games, is also aiming to win a fourth medal for Singapore at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. She added: “Although I am no longer a part of the Singapore Table Tennis Association’s (STTA) team, I will stay in Singapore, and I am still a SpexScholarship holder. I am currently discussing my competition plans with the various agencies, and the STTA has also said that it will support my participation in international competitions.
“I plan to set up a team, hire coaches, sparring partners, and physical trainer, and I will be competing in a new way, and perhaps that may give me more room for improvement.
“I also hope that there will be an open and fair competition for me to participate on the World Tour and international competitions, and I hope to win more medals for Singapore at the Olympic Games in 2020.”
While the STTA had cited the need for rejuvenation of the national team for its decision to drop Feng, media reports this week said that the association was understood to have cut ties after a series of incidents related to her ill-discipline, disrespect and misconduct.
These reportedly included the paddler’s refusal to pay up her share of winnings from the 2015 SEA Games to the coaches, clashes with then-women’s team head coach Jing Junhong, as well as disrespect towards Jing’s replacement Chen Zhibin at this year’s Rio Olympic Games.
The 30-year-old was also said to have submitted false claims for food purchases, with the money eventually returned to the association.
Responding to the allegations, Feng said on Friday that the “attacks” on her character and integrity had resulted in very negative consequences. She said: “I was very shocked by them. During my contract with STTA, I did not cheat (them) of any money, or commit any violation of the law.”
Feng’s statements come in the wake of comments made by STTA deputy president David Sim on social media earlier on Friday, where the senior official called Feng and her reported misdeeds a “disgrace to the nation”.
Responding to comments on Facebook on Friday, Sim said in screenshots posted by news website The Middle Ground: “If any local or foreign player have done serious misconduct then it will only tarnish the image of not only STTA, but the nation. It is also good for STTA to send this signal to the players that STTA shall not tolerate those players with bad characters … it is the integrity and moreover she is a national player.”
However, in an about-turn Friday night, STTA chief executive officer Wong Hui Leng said in a statement: “The recent Facebook comments made by Mr David Sim, deputy president of STTA, are his personal views and he is not speaking on behalf of STTA.”
And even though TODAY has seen documents detailing Feng’s dubious claims, Wong claimed the player had not done anything wrong.
“Regarding the recent media reports, Feng Tianwei was cautioned about the proper claiming procedure, but she did not falsify nor claim more than what she was permitted (to),” she said.