For the first time since the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games began in 1977, Singapore will not send a men’s under-22 football team to the regional event.
The team was notably absent from the provisional athlete list for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, released by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on 6 August 2025.
Alongside the football team’s omission, prominent distance runner Soh Rui Yong was also excluded.
Back in June, Soh was nominated by Singapore Athletics (SA) to represent the nation at the sporting event in Thailand.
According to a media release by SNOC, Soh’s nomination was not supported “at this stage,” but the council remains open to reconsideration.
“The SNOC has been in dialogue with Singapore Athletics regarding his nomination, and should Singapore Athletics choose to resubmit it, the SNOC will review the nomination through its Appeals Committee in due course,” said SNOC.
SNOC further stated that it aims to send athletes who meet performance criteria and uphold national values and conduct expected of Singapore representatives.
The 33rd SEA Games will be held in Thailand from 9 to 20 December 2025.
A total of 762 athletes across 42 sports have been provisionally selected — the largest contingent in Singapore’s history.
This increase is attributed to the broad range of sports selected by the host nation.
However, several athletes and teams remain under consideration as they work to meet required benchmarks.
“For some events, the national sports associations (NSAs) will make the selection and decide on the final composition of their team from the pre-qualified athletes,” SNOC noted.
Some NSAs are still awaiting results from recent matches which narrowly missed the selection deadline.
Appeals for athletes not selected in this first phase must be submitted by Friday, 15 August 2025, through the established appeals process.
In response to queries from CNA, Soh Rui Yong expressed gratitude to Singapore Athletics President Lien Choong Luen and Deputy General Manager Bastian Dohling for their support.
“I’m currently enjoying my birthday and not worrying about SEA Games selection,” said Soh, who turned 34 on Wednesday.
“Will leave it to Singapore Athletics to do the necessary.”
Soh had also been left out of the 2023 SEA Games squad but was later included after a successful appeal.
His appearance in Cambodia marked a return to major competition after more than five years away, largely due to disputes with SNOC.
At the 2023 Phnom Penh SEA Games, Soh placed fourth in the 5,000m and won silver in the 10,000m, setting a national record in the latter event.
Despite his comeback, Soh was excluded from the Singapore delegation for the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. His appeal was unsuccessful.
In 2024, Soh continued to excel, breaking two national records in the United Kingdom.
He clocked 4 minutes 30 seconds in the road mile at the Sir Roger Bannister Westminster Mile in London and recorded 15:08 in the 5km at the Friday Night Under the Lights 5K in Battersea Park.
Nonetheless, his ongoing conflict with SNOC appears unresolved.
Under former SNOC President Tan Chuan-Jin, a decision was made to bar Soh from the 2023 Asian Games despite him meeting qualifying standards.
Tan, a former Army General and Speaker of Parliament from the ruling People’s Action Party, resigned from all positions in July 2025 following revelations of an extramarital affair.
SNOC, currently helmed by People’s Action Party Minister Grace Fu, previously accused Soh of failing to honour commitments, including those made following his participation in the Cambodia 2023 SEA Games.
According to The Straits Times, the council cited several instances of conduct it deemed inappropriate, providing a 30-page document cataloguing social media posts from March to May 2023, along with a six-page transcript from Soh’s appearance on a podcast by former footballer Shasi Kumar.
In 2019, Soh publicly criticised Tan on Facebook after being excluded from the SEA Games squad, stating, “This is akin to primary school playground politics where kids go, ‘I don’t friend you already!’ just because you say something they don’t like.”
He also alleged that Tan had blocked him on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, impeding communication between athlete and council.
Despite past disputes, Singapore Athletics has been consistently supportive of Soh’s re-entry into international competition.
With the appeal window still open, there remains a possibility that Soh could be reinstated in the final list for December.
Meanwhile, the absence of the U22 men’s football team from the provisional list marks a historic departure. Singapore has fielded a men’s football side at every SEA Games since the competition’s founding.
As the situation unfolds, SNOC’s appeals committee may yet determine if changes will be made before the final delegation is confirmed.
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