Singapore Athletics chief Tang to step down

SINGAPORE — Dogged by in-fighting in recent years, Singapore athletics’ governing body will need to find a new leader after president Tang Weng Fei announced on Tuesday (June 14) that he will not be seeking re-election at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 27.

The 62-year-old cited work commitments, as well as disagreements within Singapore Athletics’ 14-man executive committee as the reasons behind his decision to step away from the sport’s top post.

“There are lots of disagreements within the exco,” said Tang in a press conference held at his company, Seven Seas Oil Trading.

“I can accept that we can agree to disagree. But if the disagreements lead to disruptions, good plans cannot move forward. After ideas are endorsed after voting, you put it as a personal issue and that is a problem.

“I have thought it over and I think the best thing is to step down, and let a cohesive team lead athletics forward.”

The battle for local athletics’ top jobs is set to be a fiery one, with lawyer Edmond Pereira — who had previously challenged long-serving chief Loh Lin Kok for the presidency in 1983 and 2000 — expected to throw his hat into the ring.

It is understood that Pereira will lead a team of experienced sports administrators and ex-athletes, and he will face a team headed by current honorary secretary Ho Mun Cheong.

Ho’s team is expected to include Loh Chan Pew, current vice-president (competitions organising), former general manager Ong Yeok Phee and former honorary secretary Alexander Charles Louis.

Six years ago, former athletics president (2004–2006) Tang and his 12-man team took over Singapore Athletics from Loh in what was hailed as a new era for the sport.

But internal bickering within the national sports association (NSA) saw Tang’s former allies — former vice-presidents Ho and Steven Lee, and Loh Chan Pew — switching camps in the 2014 election.

The tussle saw Tang fending off a challenge from Akira boss Sng Sze Hiang, but the opposing camp won five of the 14 seats.

The lack of teamwork and disagreements has been a challenge for the exco and the secretariat, said Tang yesterday.

“People always ask why there are so many general managers in Singapore Athletics. Has anyone pondered why they are resigning, and what are the reasons?

“I’m a businessman, so I look at my NSA no differently. I’ve succeeded in some, failed in some — those that failed are those where I had problems with my partners.”

Despite the issues, Tang stressed that the NSA and the sport has become stronger in the past six years. Since 2013, Singapore Athletics has banked in some S$1.64 million in cash and in-kind sponsorship, on top of an annual funding grant of approximately S$1.2 million from Sport Singapore.

At last year’s SEA Games, Team Singapore’s athletes won three gold, three silver and three bronze medals, with sprinter Shanti Pereira clinching the Republic’s first gold in the women’s 200m since 1973.

While Tang said he would leave the new team to reveal their plans for athletics, he offered this parting advice to the future administrators: “At the end of the day, it is the athletes who suffer.

“Never forgot why we (volunteers) are here, don’t take issues personally. At the end of the day, volunteers are there to do something they are passionate about.”