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.
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