‘Truth will prevail’: Finswimmers, coaches cooperating with police probe after result falsification issue

SWIMMER SAYS SHE WAS UNAWARE OF FALSIFICATION

Jovita told CNA that as an athlete, she was focused on training and not on what she saw as “miscommunication” within SUF. 

“The four girls who are mentioned are the victims,” she said. “We did represent the country, and we did do our part.”

She said she was not aware of any police investigation until the news broke. She added she was interviewed by SNOC in August last year, but not kept in the loop until Wednesday.

“I assumed that the case was closed,” Jovita said.

On Wednesday evening, SNOC and SportSG further clarified that the athletes involved did not even competed in the event for which falsified results were submitted. 

Both Jovita and her father said that fabricated results from a competition in Malaysia were submitted to SNOC. She and the other swimmers were in Singapore for other races, and did not attend that meet.

She said she was selected after an appeal process, and did not question how she had qualified for the SEA Games.

“What was told to us by coach Gary was just (that) the four fastest girls will be able to qualify for the relays,” she said.

Jovita’s father said the submission of results was handled by the management, and that athletes were unaware of the process.

Mr Ho added he was not in charge of keying in the timings, and that this was the task of team manager Faiz. 

Mr Lim Yao Xiang, a finswimming teammate who did not participate in the 2023 SEA Games, said Singapore had stopped competing in the sport for many years, and only started doing so again in 2021.

That meant a lack of clarity for athletes on qualifying benchmarks for major Games, he said, while also pointing out that across all sports, those who miss the qualifying standard can still be considered.

He said, however, that management needs to be take charge for what happens in their organisations. 

“How can you be a leader or have a high position and claim zero responsibility?” he asked.