Yesterday evening, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) rejected the triathlete's nomination for December's meet, saying he failed to meet the selection standards.

The decision brought the controversial saga - last month, Ng became the first athlete to sue his national sports association (NSA) over selection criteria - to an end.

In a press statement yesterday, the council said selectors met to give Ng, 35, a 'fair hearing, just as we had given the other triathletes in the first selection', but decided against sending him.

The Straits Times understands the council met Ng for over an hour yesterday to explain its decision.

The episode arose because Ng, a physiotherapist, was aggrieved that the Triathlon Association of Singapore (TAS) did not nominate him for the Games despite his having completed the required time trials on June 24 and July 29.

'STRAIGHTFORWARD' 'SNOC had to be very specific about Singapore's qualifying standards and Gino did not meet the requirements. It's as straightforward as that. In the end, common sense has prevailed.' A SENIOR NSA OFFICIAL, who did not want to be named, expressing relief that the saga is over

Instead, the TAS nominated Mok Ying Ren and Shaun Phoon, even though the latter did not complete the first time trial and finished behind Ng in the second.

Mok earned the SNOC's nod, Phoon did not.

On Oct 10, Ng sued the TAS.

After two days of mediation, the TAS nominated Ng on Oct 22.

However, his times were not up to the SNOC's standards: at the two trials, Ng's times were more than two minutes slower than that of the bronze medallist of the previous Games - the Philippines' Arland Macasieb, who clocked 2hr 4min 30sec.

The council bases its selection on an athlete's medal potential.

Nominated athletes are required to achieve at least a third-place equivalent timing of the 2005 SEA Games or show that their timings and rankings this year are in Asean's top three.

When contacted yesterday. TAS president Mark Tay said he did not want to talk about Ng as 'the TAS is bound by a confidentiality agreement'.

'Selection is not entirely based on timings. We have to take into consideration the team's strategy.'

He said Phoon was nominated to the squad for tactical reasons.

He explained that the team uses a strategy called 'drafting' - a technique where an athlete stays in another's slipstream in order to reduce the effects of wind drag.

This allows him to expend less energy while keeping up high speeds.

While illegal in many races, it is allowed at the SEA Games.

Tay said: 'Mok and Phoon are equally strong in the swim. Both exit the water almost simultaneously.

'In cycling, Phoon is the stronger cyclist and he can stay ahead of Mok, who can conserve energy and make that final push as he is a strong runner.'

Tay said the tactic worked in an Asian Triathlon Confederation-sanctioned race in Taiwan last month, which Mok won. Phoon finished fourth.

Ng could not be contacted for comment.

meng@sph.com.sg