When Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling confessed to consuming cannabis whilst overseas, social media became full of comments both criticising and defending him.
Fellow athlete Soh Rui Yong is clearly on the swimmer’s side, taking to Facebook to declare, “I stand with Joseph Schooling.”
Source: Soh Rui Yong on Facebook
The national runner feels that while Singapore’s cannabis ban is acceptable, people should be free to use it when overseas.
He then questioned why our drug laws are “extraterritorial” in restricting people’s behaviour outside the country’s borders.
Soh shared the sentiment that while Schooling should not have taken cannabis in Vietnam back in May, it seemed he was using it as a coping mechanism.
Besides “going through a loss of fitness and form”, Schooling had also lost his dad as well as “his swimming career and his freedom” as he enlisted for National Service (NS).
In other words, he was going through a very tough time.
Soh pointed out that ultimately, Schooling’s cannabis use did not hurt anyone. What’s more, he had also tested negative on his drug test.
Going one step further, Soh then called Singapore’s ban on consuming cannabis even while overseas “an antiquated law that is now creating a mountain out of a molehill”.
After winning Singapore’s first-ever gold medal at the 2016 Olympics, Schooling was often in the limelight.
Soh pointed out that back then, many politicians “jumped on the bandwagon” to talk about him. However, these people are “all very quiet now” after the news of Schooling’s cannabis use broke.
Sharing a picture of him and Schooling, Soh said he hopes they will also speak up to support him and share their photos with him again.
Source: Soh Rui Yong on Facebook
He asked that politicians show Singaporeans that they will stand with them in both good times and bad.
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Featured image adapted from Soh Rui Yong on Facebook and SwimSwam.
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