SINGAPORE – Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu was elected unopposed as the new president of Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) and will serve till 2026, the organisation said on Jan 5.
She had joined SNOC last October and was co-opted as a member to its executive committee.
Former president Tan Chuan-Jin, who helmed the body since 2014, had quit the post in July. He had done so a day after resigning from the People’s Action Party, as Speaker and Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, over an extramarital affair with Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui, who had also resigned.
Jessie Phua, the former Singapore Bowling chief, was subsequently appointed as SNOC’s acting president. She now resumes her duties as one of the four vice-presidents.
The extraordinary general meeting was held at the Singapore Sports Hub with 141 delegates representing 42 ordinary members, two associate members and five provisional members in attendance.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Fu, who was previously the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth from 2015 to 2020, said she was “thankful for the privilege to serve the SNOC and the Olympic movement”.
She added: “I hope we can continue to work together with our NSAs and stakeholders to realise the potential of our athletes to bring Singapore sport to greater heights and continue to create opportunities for our athletes to represent Singapore at the major Games.
“I would like to extend my appreciation to my fellow executive committee members and our national sports association (NSA) affiliates for their support, and to Mrs Jessie Phua for her contribution as acting president.”
Aside from Phua, Ms Fu is SNOC’s first female leader. Past presidents include ministers E.W. Barker, Dr Yeo Ning Hong and Mr Teo Chee Hean.
SNOC is a non-profit organisation that co-ordinates the selection of Singapore athletes for major Games like the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and SEA Games. It also maintains discipline among Singaporean athletes through its code of conduct.
In 2020, nine national Under-23 footballers who broke curfew at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines were handed fines between $1,000 and $2,000.
In October 2022, national swimmers Joseph Schooling, Amanda Lim and Teong Tzen Wei were fined $10,000, $2,800 and $3,200 respectively by SNOC for breaching its code of conduct.
Last June, SNOC did not select national distance runner Soh Rui Yong for the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asian Games in Hangzhou as he had failed to “honour commitments which he had provided to the SNOC, including on occasions following his participation at the Cambodia 2023 SEA Games”.
SNOC’s executive committee comprises International Olympic Committee member Ng Ser Miang, vice-presidents Juliana Seow, Benedict Tan, Lawrence Leow and Phua, secretary-general Chris Chan, assistant secretary-general Edmund Lim, honorary treasurer Lee Wung Yew, three NSA representatives and five co-opted members.
Mark Chay, Singapore Aquatics president and one of three NSA representatives, said Ms Fu is a “well-known figure in the sports fraternity, admired and respected for her extensive knowledge and passion for the sports ecosystem in Singapore”.
He added: “Her appreciation for her role as well as the significance of SNOC cannot be overstated. She recognises the vital role SNOC plays, both locally and internationally, in promoting sports and supporting NSAs...
“Her track record speaks for itself, and I am certain that she will go above and beyond in ensuring that our athletes receive the support and resources they need to excel on the international stage.”
Singapore Athletics president Lien Choong Luen added: “The selection of athletes to represent Singapore is one of the core tasks of the SNOC, and not an easy one as we try to balance current performance and developing athletes with potential for the future.
“There are lots of competitions in the pipeline and we look forward to working closely with the SNOC to make sure that we do our best for our athletes.”
