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Either vote for him or Loh Lin Kok.
Apr 17, 2010
Anandan may enter SAA fray
Veteran lawyer has been approached to contest athletics presidency
<!-- by line --> By Leonard Lim
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<!--background story, collapse if none--> SUBHAS ANANDAN ON...
WHY NOW
'Others had approached me about two months ago. But I turned it down, I wasn't interested then. But the offer now seems more serious, I plan to meet Lin Kok next week to find out more about the sport.'
QUALITIES NEEDED
'I've been told Lin Kok is looking for someone with moral responsibility, who will not take over for the sake of personal gain but for the good of the sport.'
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Subhas Anandan says he wants to find out more about track and field before taking the plunge. -- ST PHOTO: BRYAN VAN DER BEEK
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PROMINENT criminal lawyer Subhas Anandan could throw his hat into the ring for the presidency of Singapore athletics.
Anandan, who already heads the national sports association for cue sports, was approached recently by parties in the sports fraternity whom he declined to identify.
If he decides to run, he would go up against oil trader and former national hurdler Tang Weng Fei.
A three-cornered fight is also possible, if incumbent Loh Lin Kok, who has held the post since 1981 except between 2004 and 2006 when Tang took over, decides to seek re-election.
Former national 400m runner Cheah Kim Teck had considered the post too. But the chief executive officer of Jardine Cycle and Carriage's group motor operations announced last month that he would not run for it.
The Singapore Athletic Association's annual general meeting, which must be called by June, is set to be one of the most closely watched in years after a string of bad publicity surrounding the sport in recent months.
Anandan, 62, said: 'I've been following the whole saga, and I don't want the athletes to suffer as a result.
'Others had approached me about two months ago. But I turned it down, I wasn't interested then.
'But the offer now seems more serious and I plan to meet Lin Kok next week to find out more about the sport.'
The two lawyers have known each other for years, stretching back to their time at the then-University of Singapore law school in the 1960s.
Anandan is into his second term as Cuesports Singapore's chief after taking over the reins in 2006 from long-serving president Manmohanjit Singh. When he took over, the association had debts of around $750,000. Now, it is close to being in the black.
Funding from the Singapore Sports Council was suspended in 2005 because of its poor financial controls. A former Cuesports official was also fined $5,000 by a court in 2007 for making falsified claims.
The SSC has since resumed government funding after the association tightened its internal financial checks.
Anandan, the president of the Association of Criminal Lawyers, said: 'Probably I was approached because I helped turn Cuesports around.
'But athletics is a much bigger sport with many more people involved, so I want to find out more first before making a decision.'
Track and field's performance at regional competitions has been dismal in recent years. That has earned the ire of senior sports officials since December's South-east Asia Games in Laos. Then, the sport won just two golds and one silver, out of the 45 golds on offer.
Anandan said: 'I've been told Lin Kok is looking for someone with moral responsibility, who will not take over for the sake of personal gain but for the good of the sport.'
Loh, 62, said yesterday that he would wait a little longer before deciding whether to stand for re-election, as more contenders for the SAA post might emerge.
He would also not be drawn into commenting on Anandan, adding: 'When he does put in his hat then I will say something. But being what he is, he should know his work.'
[email protected]
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Apr 17, 2010
Anandan may enter SAA fray
Veteran lawyer has been approached to contest athletics presidency
<!-- by line --> By Leonard Lim
<!-- end by line -->
<!--background story, collapse if none--> SUBHAS ANANDAN ON...
WHY NOW
'Others had approached me about two months ago. But I turned it down, I wasn't interested then. But the offer now seems more serious, I plan to meet Lin Kok next week to find out more about the sport.'
QUALITIES NEEDED
'I've been told Lin Kok is looking for someone with moral responsibility, who will not take over for the sake of personal gain but for the good of the sport.'
<!--end background story-->
<!-- end left side bar -->
<!-- story content : start -->
PROMINENT criminal lawyer Subhas Anandan could throw his hat into the ring for the presidency of Singapore athletics.
Anandan, who already heads the national sports association for cue sports, was approached recently by parties in the sports fraternity whom he declined to identify.
If he decides to run, he would go up against oil trader and former national hurdler Tang Weng Fei.
A three-cornered fight is also possible, if incumbent Loh Lin Kok, who has held the post since 1981 except between 2004 and 2006 when Tang took over, decides to seek re-election.
Former national 400m runner Cheah Kim Teck had considered the post too. But the chief executive officer of Jardine Cycle and Carriage's group motor operations announced last month that he would not run for it.
The Singapore Athletic Association's annual general meeting, which must be called by June, is set to be one of the most closely watched in years after a string of bad publicity surrounding the sport in recent months.
Anandan, 62, said: 'I've been following the whole saga, and I don't want the athletes to suffer as a result.
'Others had approached me about two months ago. But I turned it down, I wasn't interested then.
'But the offer now seems more serious and I plan to meet Lin Kok next week to find out more about the sport.'
The two lawyers have known each other for years, stretching back to their time at the then-University of Singapore law school in the 1960s.
Anandan is into his second term as Cuesports Singapore's chief after taking over the reins in 2006 from long-serving president Manmohanjit Singh. When he took over, the association had debts of around $750,000. Now, it is close to being in the black.
Funding from the Singapore Sports Council was suspended in 2005 because of its poor financial controls. A former Cuesports official was also fined $5,000 by a court in 2007 for making falsified claims.
The SSC has since resumed government funding after the association tightened its internal financial checks.
Anandan, the president of the Association of Criminal Lawyers, said: 'Probably I was approached because I helped turn Cuesports around.
'But athletics is a much bigger sport with many more people involved, so I want to find out more first before making a decision.'
Track and field's performance at regional competitions has been dismal in recent years. That has earned the ire of senior sports officials since December's South-east Asia Games in Laos. Then, the sport won just two golds and one silver, out of the 45 golds on offer.
Anandan said: 'I've been told Lin Kok is looking for someone with moral responsibility, who will not take over for the sake of personal gain but for the good of the sport.'
Loh, 62, said yesterday that he would wait a little longer before deciding whether to stand for re-election, as more contenders for the SAA post might emerge.
He would also not be drawn into commenting on Anandan, adding: 'When he does put in his hat then I will say something. But being what he is, he should know his work.'
[email protected]
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