Forum: Performance should be main yardstick for selection for sporting events

The recent exclusion of Soh Rui Yong from the SEA Games squad raises questions about meritocracy and the future of Singapore sports (

Young Lions and distance runner Soh Rui Yong left out of SEA Games contingent

, Aug 6).

If meritocracy is the cornerstone of our sporting landscape, then performance should be the primary yardstick for selection. Soh has consistently delivered results at the highest level despite numerous challenges, and yet he remains sidelined.

This sends the wrong signal to aspiring athletes that talent and hard work alone may not be enough unless they conform to a certain standard of behaviour.

While Soh’s character and past actions have been questionable, such judgments are ultimately subjective and personal. Around the world, many top athletes are expressive, outspoken, and even controversial at times, yet they are celebrated for what truly matters: their performance and their ability to push the boundaries of their sport.  

It is time for the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) to move with the times. Being a “role model” should not be about fitting into a narrow mould of personality or public relations polish.

True sporting role models are defined by resilience, excellence, and the ability to inspire through performance. These are qualities Soh has demonstrated repeatedly despite all the adversity.

If SNOC believes athletes must also be “role models”, then it owes Singaporeans and the sporting community a clear and transparent definition of what that entails. Without such clarity, decisions risk being seen as arbitrary, undermining the trust athletes place in the system.

Singapore sports will grow only if we provide better, tailored support for our top athletes instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. By continuing to exclude one of our most consistent performers, we risk stifling the very meritocracy that has been underpinning our country’s success.

Zhang Jinwei