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May Chen
Sports Intern
Not news to write home about
February 02, 2009 Monday, 06:41 PM
May Chen asks if the banning of two local triathletes is too harsh.
I ONCE read a report that many who have gone through Hurricane Katrina are still overcome by a chilling sense of fear whenever the wind howls louder, wondering if it is time to flee again. Bomb threats probably have the same menacing effect. So it is understandable how triathlete Dinah Chan felt if the reason she was found in the room of fellow triathlete Mok Ying Ren was as innocent as she claimed. The athletes were allegedly informed of bomb threats at the Asian Beach Games in Bali last October, and Chan said she had gone to Mok’s room because she feared for her safety. The duo have since been given a competition ban for their misconduct. Many have expressed opinions that the punishment is a tad harsh. Maybe. But that does not shadow the fact that exemplary conduct is expected from those under the public eye, probably even more from those who don their national flag on their sleeves. Their errors are just as likely to be found circulating the papers as their hard-earned achievements. Olympic champion Michael Phelps proves to be a timely and apt example. Instead of being greeted by a cereal box with Michael Phelps’ face printed on it, millions of Americans woke up to a photo of him smoking drugs on front pages of the papers. Unfortunately people may now remember him as the eight-gold wonder who got caught with drugs weeks after his feat, but that's just the way it is. They may not all be world-renowned celebrities, but athletes aren’t exactly common men-in-the-street either. Whether they chose to put themselves out in the limelight or not, their actions and speech will always be under public scrutiny. And it is their duty to take it upon themselves to ensure they live up to public expectations. Agreed, a competition ban may come across as too harsh a punishment. Probation, a verbal warning, or even a fine may have been just as effective. But a broken rule is as is - broken. It does not matter if the infringement was big, just a little, or if anything bad came out of it. Or in this case - whether it was compromising or not. Anybody would have to face the music for their misconduct, just like Phelps and the triathlete duo are doing now. They just have a lot more people to answer to. What do you think about the ruling? Share your comments here. Tags: singapore, sports 
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I dont think they should be punished. Being in someone else's room is not a crime. There arent even a rule say that an athelete is not allowed to enter another's room. Since the association did not find substantial evidence that the atheletes were doing something immoral, they should be given the benefit of the doubt. A warning imposed on them could be just right.
Normally, a leak means there is something more to the story than what was intended to be leaked.
Maybe there is a love triangle between the triathletes and someone in the upper management?
As Sylvia intelligently pointed out, how could the punishment be justifiable if there are no rules broken?
Maybe hearts were broken....hehehehehe
Perhaps what should be looked at is what the issue at hand is.
If there is a rule which explicitly states that opposite sexes should not be in the same room, and there is a punishment for flouting the rule, then, the triathletes should face the music for their actions.
However, I do hope that thought is involved when meting out punishments. To ban an athlete from competing is as good as banning a student from attending classes or taking exams. Perhaps a fine would have been sufficient as the whole point of a punishment is to drive across a point that a wrong has been committed and in this case, how would a ban from competing be a punishment? It is in fact counter productive as the athletes will not be able to compete in upcoming races and know where they stand or where they should improve. Is it correct to deprive our athletes a chance from improving themselves?
Whether it is a fine, or a ban, both athletes would know that they have done wrong. And we are not discussing a murder or drug case which actually harms others. In fact, a male and a female in a room might actually do good as who knows, a baby athlete might be made. (",)
A punishment should always justify its cause. A punishment is to drive across the point that someone has done wrong. A punishment should not be counter productive to one who has done wrong.
"Mr Mahipal Singh, Singapore's chef-de-mission at the Games, said there was no specific rule pertaining to the Games that athletes of the opposite sex could not be in the same room. "
That being said, I do not think these two athletes were out to break the rules. Think about it, one is a medical student and the other a trainee teacher and I believe they should know better than to knowingly break a rule which they knew would amount to such a big hooha. I don't think anyone in the right frame of mind would want to look for such trouble. Look at the reason for their action: for safety. I would say that is a very justifiable reason for their action and I feel that I would have done the same if I were in their shoes to get some good rest to prepare for the competition and to do Singapore proud. I do not think that by doing so, it would damage the image of Singapore if the athlete wants to get a good rest to perform well at the race.
This was definately blown out of proportions, and the coach could have just given them a warning or at the most a lighter form of punishment.
I also agree with John:
Why is this out in the press when it should be just dealt with within the association?
Anyway, put yourselves in the athlete's shoes. They have accepted the punishment (I think this being out in the press is far greater than any punishment they could have gotten) and I believe we should all just move on and let them get on with their lives.
Yes yes. they should be punished. but how did the press come to know about it if it was supposed to be an internal issue? its either leak or done on purpose. do these young athletes need the press to tell whe whole world? Isnt the main issue here is that there is a lapse in how SSC handled the issue and allowed such a leak? these athletes are being betrayed by those who promised this to be internal. now their lives are affected. think about it may. think about how u will feel if you are betrayed and the whole public noes abt it. thw isue here is not wether they should be banned. even phelps is not banned for his actions which are much worse and blatant
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