Marathoner Soh Rui Yong served lawyer's letter for comments on fellow runner Ashley Liew
Two-time SEA Games men's marathon champion Soh Rui Yong has been served a lawyer's letter on April 1, to "publicly retract and withdraw" statements he made about the 2015 SEA Games marathon event.PHOTO: SOH RUI YONG/ FACEBOOK
PUBLISHED
APR 1, 2019, 6:27 PM SGT
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Nicole Chia
SINGAPORE - Two-time SEA Games men's marathon champion Soh Rui Yong was served a lawyer's letter on Monday (April 1) to "publicly retract and withdraw" statements he made about the 2015 SEA Games marathon event.
The letter, seen by The Straits Times, was served by law firm Rajah & Tann, which is acting for the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).
In October 2018, Soh disputed fellow national marathoner Ashley Liew's account of events at the 2015 SEA Games marathon race, for which Liew was given a special award for sportsmanship by the SNOC, and was also awarded the Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy by the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) in 2016.
During the biennial regional Games in Singapore, Liew found himself with a 50m lead after the 12 other runners missed a U-turn and took the wrong route.
But, instead of capitalising on his advantage, he slowed down to give his rivals time to catch up. He eventually finished eighth while Soh won the race.
Soh alleged on social media that Liew's story was untrue, after the CIFP put up a Facebook post in 2018 hailing Liew as a role model for fair play. He also repeated those comments on his Facebook page and on his blog.
The letter states that Soh's allegations "casts aspersions on the merits and integrity of SNOC's submission of Mr Liew's candidacy to the Fair Play Committee".
It also states that the SNOC, through Rajah & Tann, has "interviewed and spoken with various individuals who had personally witnessed the event that day", and that at least four individuals have since stepped forward to the SNOC to support Liew's account.
"The statements of these individuals as contained in their respective statutory declarations can only mean one thing - that your allegations about (Liew) are false and intended to mislead and/or cause mischief."
Soh has been given until 5pm on April 8 to "publicly retract and withdraw" the statements, and to "admit that you were wrong about them".
Related Story
Athletics: Soh claims tale of teammate's act of sportsmanship at 2015 SEA Games 'not true' but SNOC, ONEathlete back Liew
Contacted by ST, Soh said he does not intend to comply, and has informed SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin, who is also Speaker of Parliament, of his decision.
Soh told ST: "As no one from SNOC has reached out to me for my side of the story before issuing this lawyer's letter, I thought that out of respect, I'd inform the SNOC president directly about my decision and the reasons behind it."
As for his next course of action, Soh said: "(I will) focus on my work and my training. I will not pursue further action on this case unless SNOC decides to do so."
When contacted by ST, an SNOC spokesman reiterated, in an e-mail statement, that Soh’s comments on Liew “cast aspersions on the merits and integrity of the Singapore National Olympic Council’s submission of Mr Liew’s candidacy to the International Fair Play Committee for the Fair Play Trophy”.
The SNOC has “also invited Mr Soh to view these statutory declarations” made by the four individuals as stated in the lawyer’s letter, she added.
PUBLISHED
APR 1, 2019, 6:27 PM SGT
FACEBOOKTWITTEREMAIL
Nicole Chia
SINGAPORE - Two-time SEA Games men's marathon champion Soh Rui Yong was served a lawyer's letter on Monday (April 1) to "publicly retract and withdraw" statements he made about the 2015 SEA Games marathon event.
The letter, seen by The Straits Times, was served by law firm Rajah & Tann, which is acting for the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).
In October 2018, Soh disputed fellow national marathoner Ashley Liew's account of events at the 2015 SEA Games marathon race, for which Liew was given a special award for sportsmanship by the SNOC, and was also awarded the Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy by the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) in 2016.
During the biennial regional Games in Singapore, Liew found himself with a 50m lead after the 12 other runners missed a U-turn and took the wrong route.
But, instead of capitalising on his advantage, he slowed down to give his rivals time to catch up. He eventually finished eighth while Soh won the race.
Soh alleged on social media that Liew's story was untrue, after the CIFP put up a Facebook post in 2018 hailing Liew as a role model for fair play. He also repeated those comments on his Facebook page and on his blog.
The letter states that Soh's allegations "casts aspersions on the merits and integrity of SNOC's submission of Mr Liew's candidacy to the Fair Play Committee".
It also states that the SNOC, through Rajah & Tann, has "interviewed and spoken with various individuals who had personally witnessed the event that day", and that at least four individuals have since stepped forward to the SNOC to support Liew's account.
"The statements of these individuals as contained in their respective statutory declarations can only mean one thing - that your allegations about (Liew) are false and intended to mislead and/or cause mischief."
Soh has been given until 5pm on April 8 to "publicly retract and withdraw" the statements, and to "admit that you were wrong about them".
Related Story
Athletics: Soh claims tale of teammate's act of sportsmanship at 2015 SEA Games 'not true' but SNOC, ONEathlete back Liew
Contacted by ST, Soh said he does not intend to comply, and has informed SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin, who is also Speaker of Parliament, of his decision.
Soh told ST: "As no one from SNOC has reached out to me for my side of the story before issuing this lawyer's letter, I thought that out of respect, I'd inform the SNOC president directly about my decision and the reasons behind it."
As for his next course of action, Soh said: "(I will) focus on my work and my training. I will not pursue further action on this case unless SNOC decides to do so."
When contacted by ST, an SNOC spokesman reiterated, in an e-mail statement, that Soh’s comments on Liew “cast aspersions on the merits and integrity of the Singapore National Olympic Council’s submission of Mr Liew’s candidacy to the International Fair Play Committee for the Fair Play Trophy”.
The SNOC has “also invited Mr Soh to view these statutory declarations” made by the four individuals as stated in the lawyer’s letter, she added.
