Soh Rui Yong left out of provisional list for 2025 SEA Games contingent, decision may be appealed
Singaporean distance runner Soh Rui Yong has not been selected to participate in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand.
He, along with Singapore’s men’s Under-22 (U-22) football team, were the most conspicuous absentees on the provisional list for the Singapore contingent, reported The Straits Times (ST).
Source: Team Singapore on Facebook
Soh Rui Yong left out of SEA Games despite meeting qualifying mark
A total of 762 athletes across 42 sports have been provisionally chosen for the SEA Games, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) announced on Wednesday (6 Aug).
Soh’s name was reportedly left out of the list despite meeting the qualifying mark – in January, he finished the Houston Marathon in two hours, 27 minutes and 49 seconds, qualifying for the 2025 SEA Games Marathon by eight minutes.
Source: Soh Rui Yong on Facebook
This was also his sixth consecutive SEA Games qualification for Singapore.
On 24 June, Soh shared on Facebook that Singapore Athletics (SA) had nominated him for two events, with the final decision lying with SNOC.
Source: Soh Rui Yong on Facebook
SNOC cites ‘values & behaviours’ expected of S’pore’s representative
However, SNOC said its selection committee did not support Soh’s nomination “at this stage”, adding:
The SNOC reaffirms its commitment to sending athletes who not only meet the performance benchmarks but also uphold the values and behaviours expected of Singapore’s national representatives. Representing the nation is both a privilege and a responsibility that demands sporting excellence and exemplary character.
Should SA choose to re-submit its nomination of Soh, SNOC’s appeals committee will review it “in due course”.
Soh Rui Yong not selected for 2 previous SEA Games
Soh has not been selected to represent Singapore a number of times despite his stellar achievements on the track.
Despite winning SEA Games gold in 2015 and 2017, he was not selected for the Games in 2019 and 2022. He was also left out of the 2018 Asian Games.
On the exclusions, SNOC had cited “unbecoming behaviour” and instances in which Soh had fallen short of the “attitude and behaviour that the SNOC expects of and holds its athletes to”.
After apologising to SNOC on two occasions in Feb 2022 and Oct 2022, he was picked for the 2023 SEA Games after a five-year absence from the national team.
He went on to win a silver medal after finishing second in the men’s 10,000m final, also setting a new national record and a personal best time.
Source: Soh Rui Yong on Facebook
But he was again not selected for the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou just a month later, with SNOC saying that he had failed to honour his commitments and continued to make “disparaging and derisive” public remarks about others.
Soh’s exclusion announced on his birthday
Soh’s latest exclusion was announced on his 34th birthday — he was born on 6 Aug 1991.
Source: @runsohfast on Instagram
Somewhat prophetically, he shared a video on Facebook of himself accidentally dropping his birthday cake on the table.
Source: Soh Rui Yong on Facebook
However, he appeared to be nonplussed by the bad news, telling ST that he was currently enjoying his birthday and “not worrying about SEA Games selection”.
He would leave it to SA to “do the necessary”, he said, describing the association as “great and nothing but helpful”.
Singapore U-22 football team also not on SEA Games list
Another high-profile omission is Singapore’s men’s U-22 football team — the first time since 1969 that Singapore will not be taking part in a football event at the SEA Games.
The team missed out because its recent international results did not satisfy the SNOC’s qualifying criteria, ST understands.
Matches at the Asean U-23 Championship in July could have been used to support its nomination, but it withdrew from the competition.
Source: Football Association of Singapore on Facebook
The last time Singapore won a medal in football at the SEA Games was in 2013, when it won bronze at the U-23 tournament.
Since then, the age limit was lowered again to 22, and Singapore has not won a medal.
In the 2023 Games, the Young Lions were beaten 0-7 by Malaysia and finished bottom of the group.
FAS reportedly to appeal the decision
However, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) will be appealing the decision, with its president Forrest Li quoted by ST as saying that there is still “a very decent chance” of the team competing at the SEA Games.
What it can do is to try its best to meet the selection criteria, he added.
It is understood that the U-22 side will be playing international friendlies against the Philippines and Malaysia to boost the chances of its appeal..
Other athletes not selected for the SEA Games include those in the national polo and woodball teams, as well as the men’s volleyball team.
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Featured image adapted from Team Singapore on Facebook and Soh Rui Yong on Facebook.
