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Singapore champion marathoner Soh Rui Yong, 30, has to pay S$180,000 in damages to former teammate Ashley Liew, 34, for defamation.

The total amount, ordered by the District Court, includes S$120,000 in general damages and S$60,000 in aggravated damages.

Liew had sought S$240,000 in general and aggravated damages in equal amounts.

The case

In October 2018, Soh had called out and disputed an act of fair play by Liew, pertaining to what happened during the 2015 SEA Games marathon.

Liew said he had slowed down to allow other runners to catch up after they missed a U-turn and took the wrong path.

He finished eighth, while Soh won the race.

The suit

Liew sued Soh over five statements that appeared in the form of two blog posts, two Facebook posts, and one Facebook comment.

The outcome

District Judge Lee Li Choon said in her written verdict that Liew's evidence is "more objective and consistent" compared to Soh's, The Straits Times reported.

Liew's lawyers, in their submission, accused Soh of "drawing maximum public attention to this case".

Soh's lawyers described the sum of damages sought "extraordinary" and called for the case to be "wholly dismissed".

The more appropriate quantum for general damages ought to be S$25,000, or S$5,000 per statement, the defendant's lawyers added, while aggravated damages would be only 20 per cent of general damages.

Judge's reasoning

However, District Judge Lee wrote that whether or not aggravated damages ought to be awarded was based on Soh's repetition of the defamatory comments and his persistence in pleading justification, which were described as "reckless" and "unmeritorious".

"On the whole, I am satisfied that Soh's egregious conduct as described above warrants the award of aggravated damages to Liew," Lee wrote, according to ST.

Soh's reaction before verdict

Soh posted on Facebook before the verdict that he stands by what he said.

Background

The two runners were former national teammates.

Proceedings against Soh began in June 2019.

The trial started in September 2020 and ended in June 2021 -- with the case heard over 10 days in court.

Each side called on four witnesses.

Liew had Japanese-Cambodian runner Kuniaki Takizaki, a competitor in the 2015 race, two observers, and himself, on the stand.

Soh had his former coach Steven Quek, his father Soh Seow Hong, a friend, and himself, on the stand.

Closing submissions were filed in July and reply submissions in August.

Liew is represented by Mark Teng and Lim Tianjun of That.Legal LLC.

Soh is represented by Eugene Thuraisingam and Chooi Jing Yen of Eugene Thuraisingam LLP.

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Top photos via Ashley Liew & Soh Rui Yong