Joseph Schooling apologises for using cannabis, fellow national swimmer Amanda Lim ‘deeply sorry’ after CNB warning

SINGAPORE — National swimmers Joseph Schooling and Amanda Lim have apologised for their actions after both received warnings from the authorities following a probe into possible offences related to the consumption of cannabis.

Schooling had confessed to using cannabis overseas in May this year, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Tuesday (Aug 30). 

In a statement on the same day, Schooling said: "I am sorry that my actions have caused hurt to everyone around me, especially to my family and the young fans who look up to me.

"I gave in to a moment of weakness after going through a very tough period of my life. I demonstrated bad judgement and I am sorry.

"I made a mistake and I’m responsible for what I’ve done. I will make amends and right what is wrong... I won’t let you down again."

Urine tests for controlled drugs done on Schooling by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) of Singapore returned negative.

However, the swimmer had confessed to consuming cannabis overseas when he was on short-term disruption from full-time National Service (NS) to train and participate in the Southeast Asian Games.

Where he took the controlled drug was not immediately clear.

Mindef said on Tuesday that Schooling had been issued with a warning over the positive drug test, and put on a urine test regime for six months.

In a separate statement, national sports governing body Sport Singapore (SportSG) said on Tuesday that it intends to thoroughly review the circumstances behind the case of Schooling and Lim and determine the appropriate steps to be taken thereafter.

SportSG said that following CNB's investigations, the bureau had given Lim a stern warning under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

In a statement posted as an Instagram Story on her social media account on Tuesday night, Lim apologised to her supporters, family and friends, saying that she is "deeply sorry" for her actions. 

"There is no excuse and I will take the warning given to me seriously and reflect on my mistakes," she said. 

"My swimming career has been filled with many ups and downs over the past decade. Throughout the wins and losses, I've always strived to be better in and out of the pool.

"I will continue to work fully with Sport Singapore for the next steps to be taken and do my best to become a better version of myself," she added. 

Lim, 29, had been competing for Singapore since 2007. She is an 11-time Southeast Asian Games gold medallist and an Asian Swimming Championships bronze medallist. 

Schooling stole the hearts of Singaporeans after bringing home the country’s first and only gold Olympic medal in 2016 for the men’s 100m butterfly event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

However, at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, he failed to make it past the heats of his pet event, completing the men’s 100m butterfly event in 53.12 seconds, close to three seconds slower than his gold-winning time from 2016.

Later last year, Schooling faced another blow when his father, Colin Schooling, died from liver cancer at the age of 73.