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RIFT OVER SELECTION: Mr Ng claims he had fulfilled the requirements for the Games.
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TRIATHLETE Gino Ng is taking the Triathlon Association of Singapore (TAS) to court, the first time an athlete has sued a national sports association over selection criteria.
The 35-year-old is aggrieved he was not nominated for the Dec 6-15 South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Thailand - even though he allegedly met the criteria set by the TAS.
The TAS has nominated Mr Mok Ying Ren and Mr Shaun Phoon as Singapore's representatives in the triathlon competition.
Mr Ng, a physiotherapist with the Singapore Sports Council, claims he had fulfilled the selection requirements.
According to the criteria, which were posted on the TAS website, candidates for the SEA Games squad were to compete in two time trials - one on June 23 and the July 29 Osim International Triathlon.
On the website, the TAS added that it has sole discretion in selecting athletes.
Mr Ng, who finished fourth in the 2005 SEA Games in the Philippines, wants the TAS to reverse its decision not to nominate him for the SEA Games.
The case will be heard in the High Court on Oct 26.
Mr Ng will be represented by Senior Counsel K. Shanmugam of Allen & Gledhill.
The TAS will be represented by Mr Thomas Au of Unilegal.
This is not the first time the High Court will hear a case involving an athlete and a national sports association.
In 1989, sprinter Haron Mundir was banned from competing for 18 months by the Singapore Amateur Athletic Association after he returned five days into a month-long training stint in Japan.
He cited food, accommodation, weather and training problems as reasons for his early return.
He took his case to the High Court and succeeded in overturning his ban.
He was then allowed to participate in the 1989 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
meng@sph.com.sg
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