Singapore Athletics in crisis: ex-chief Loh Lin Kok opens fire

SINGAPORE — Loh Lin Kok once ruled Singapore track and field with an iron fist, spending close to three decades as president of the then-Singapore Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA) from 1981 to 2004, and then from 2006 to 2010 in a second stint.

The fiery lawyer was embroiled in a number of controversies during his time, taking on national athletes, election rivals and even Singapore’s sports governing body, the then-Singapore Sports Council.

His reign also saw the association coming under intense fire for poor results at the SEA Games, particularly after its athletes brought home just two gold medals from the 2009 Games in Laos.

But even though his own reign at the top of Singapore athletics was controversial and colourful, that did not stop the 69-year-old from delivering a scathing assessment of the national sports association under his successor, Tang Weng Fei, who took over the presidency in 2010.

On Tuesday, Tang announced that he would not be standing for re-election this month, citing disagreements and the lack of a cohesive team as reasons for his decision. But according to the 69-year-old Loh, he had seen this coming as far back as 2010.

Tang’s team had included the likes of Loh Chan Pew and Ho Mun Cheong, with Loh becoming vice-president in the executive committee while Ho took on the role of honorary secretary. However, four years later, Ho and Chan Pew switched sides in the 2014 election to back Akira boss Sng Sze Hiang.

While Sng was defeated, his camp won five out of the 14 seats.

“Tang Weng Fei, Ho Mun Cheong, Loh Chan Pew — don’t I know their characters?” said Loh witheringly in an interview with TODAY.

“I had predicted this (disagreements within the association) would happen and they would split. They are fellows of convenience. I told Tang Weng Fei this six years ago.”

Although Tang’s six-year stint as athletics president saw the association reaping in S$1.64 million in sponsorship, annual funding from Sport Singapore, as well as nine medals at the 2015 SEA Games, in-fighting within the executive committee caused the oil trader to call it quits eventually.

All this has caused local athletics to be in shambles, said Loh.

“The association is in crisis. There is no leadership, a lack of infrastructure and a total lack of enthusiasm (from the athletes). If there is no infrastructure (technical director, panel of coaches), how can the sport progress? There must be a system.”

Loh also raised eyebrows in the local athletics community yesterday after it was reported that the Singapore Athletics honorary life president has backed former election rival Edmond Pereira as the “man of the moment” to resolve the sport’s issues. This was a surprise because both men were regarded as rivals in the sport.

Pereira had taken Loh on in the 1983 and 2000 elections and lost in both attempts. He also represented national athletes Haron Mundir and Luan Wei when they took legal action against the SAAA.

In fact, Pereira had even told TODAY that he had apprehensions about meeting Loh for lunch at the Singapore Cricket Club on Wednesday to get his endorsement.

While the fraternity was surprised by Loh’s decision to endorse Pereira, Loh had a simple reason for his decision: “I am an athletics man, I don’t want to see the sport go into ruins, and it is now in total disarray,” he said. “I’ve known Edmond for almost 40 years. He has a hell of a task to rebuild the sport practically from scratch.

“Knowing him, he has the quality of leadership to pull it together. He is the man of the moment because he needs to get through this critical moment, and then sail the ship.”

Pereira is set to reveal his team officially at a press conference today, ahead of the June 27 elections against the team led by Ho.

While Loh is confident that his legal peer is the right man for the top job, he also delivered a warning to his fellow lawyer. “I asked him, what if you get a mixed team (like 2014), can you control them?” he said. “I know his character ... I believe he can assert control. There is a big vacuum in leadership now, and he can fill it.”