'Outmuscled, outpaced, & outlasted': S'pore football & badminton teams under fire for poor SEA Games performance

In a wrap-up press conference held on Dec. 20, Singapore's football and badminton teams were highlighted for their recent "poor performance" at the SEA Games.

"Outmuscled, outpaced, and outlasted"

Speaking at the Team Singapore review at Bangkok’s Grand Fourwings Convention Hotel, Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) secretary-general Mark Chay delivered an assessment of the Young Lions, saying the team’s struggles pointed to deeper issues.

According to CNA, Chay, who was part of a three-man panel alongside Singapore chef de mission Lawrence Leow and High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI) chief Su Chun Wei, said:

"They were outmuscled, outpaced and outlasted… And these are not [...] things that are to do with talent or skill.".

Chay added that there is a "systemic problem" and to make changes or progress is to accept that there is a problem.

"I haven't heard anything from FAS or the athletes that there is a problem. I think that is a systemic problem.”

Singapore’s U-22 footballers lost both their matches in Group A — a 3-1 defeat by Timor-Leste and a 3-0 loss to hosts Thailand — to finish bottom of the group and exit at the group stage for a sixth consecutive SEA Games.

The team had only secured their place at the Games on appeal, after not being named in SNOC’s provisional list earlier in the year.

Attitude and sportsmanship

Chay also took issue with the players’ conduct off the pitch, noting that they failed to acknowledge supporters in the stands after their matches.

"The athletes just walked off the field, didn't even acknowledge the crowd," he added.

“I understand disappointment, but they need to really look at sportsmanship, look at their attitude and respect of the sport as well as the people who went there to support them.”

Su echoed the sentiment, describing the football team’s showing as “poor”.

"We gave the football team a chance, it didn't turn out as expected, this is a fact.”

Badminton leaders admit team fell short

Badminton was also the other sport singled out for underperforming at the Games.

Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) president Lawrence Leow acknowledged that the team failed to meet expectations, returning with only two team bronze medals, according to the The Straits Times (ST).

Men’s singles top seed Loh Kean Yew and Jason Teh did not deliver the results hoped for, while women’s singles player Yeo Jia Min was sidelined from the singles and team events due to injury.

Loh exited in the quarter-finals, with Teh exiting one round earlier.

Focus turns to long-term reforms

Su said the disappointing football results highlighted the need for patience as the government’s Unleash the Roar! (UTR) project, launched in 2021 to transform Singapore football, continues to take shape.

"We know that football is not doing well, and that's why we have UTR and we have to have patience.”

He noted that the full group of UTR beneficiaries are expected to compete at the SEA Games only in 2031 or 2033.

Chay stressed that significant improvements are needed if Singapore is to achieve its ambition of finishing among the top three nations at the 2029 SEA Games on home soil.

He said:

“I think a lot of work has to be done there if we really want to chase medals, if we really want to consistently be top three in Southeast Asia, and if we want to have a strong home Games showing.”

Overall SEA Games showing

The criticism came despite Team Singapore finishing the Games with 52 gold medals, its third-best away SEA Games performance, alongside 61 silvers and 89 bronzes, placing fifth overall among 10 nations.

Nearly 60 per cent of the 926 athletes fielded were SEA Games debutants, and officials commended the contingent for competing with resilience, discipline and pride.

Aquatics led the way with 22 golds, while fencing enjoyed a record eight-gold haul.

Sailing and table tennis also contributed four gold medals each.

Top images via FASingapore/X, lohkeanyew/Instagram