Balasekaran to take on Ho for Singapore Athletics presidency
Singapore Athletics' (SA) vice-president (training and selection) Dr G. Balasekaran will go up against incumbent Ho Mun Cheong for the post of president at the national track and field body's extraordinary general meeting on Friday.
Dr Balasekaran will lead an eight-member team to contest against Ho's slate for positions in the 14-member management committee.
The candidates on Dr Balasekaran's team are Chan Chee Wei (vice-president, training and selection), Ow Kok Meng (vice-president, competitions), R. Rajandran (vice-president, finance), Alexander Charles Louis (honorary secretary), Dr Tan Ming Jen (assistant honorary secretary), Alvin Phua (honorary treasurer) and Tan Yew Ling (statistician). Rajandran, Louis and Dr Tan are incumbents.
On Ho's side are Tan Wei Leong (vice-president, training), Loh Chan Pew (vice-president, competitions), Tang Yang Nang (vice-president, finance), Clarence Lun (honorary secretary), Joseph Soh (assistant honorary secretary), Hoe Boon Kwee (honorary treasurer) and C. Jeyapandiyen (statistician).
Loh is the only incumbent on Ho's team, which includes six other management committee members who will be uncontested.
On Friday, SA's 20 affiliates will vote in a snap election that has been called because of a rift in its management.
The problems are understood to have been caused by disagreements over various issues, such as the suitability of Jaime Cheong as general manager, and accusations of alleged "unilateral actions" made by Ho.
The SA also had to dip into its reserves with national sports agency Sport Singapore withholding funding since July last year.
It is understood that the withheld funding amounts to more than $600,000.
Ho told The New Paper last week: "With the existing team, there is a gridlock.
"We cannot come to a decision, so everything is stuck.
MOVE FORWARD
"If we dissolve the existing committee and elect a new one, I think we can move forward."
The shake-up in the SA comes less than four months before the South-east Asia Games in Kuala Lumpur, where Singapore's track and field athletes will be aiming to better their nine-medal haul (three golds, three silvers, three bronzes) from the last edition on home soil two years ago.
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