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S’pore Hurdler Sexually Assaulted By Coach, Urges SportSG To Review Reduced Penalty source: https://mustsharenews.com/hurdler-sportsg/ Singapore Athlete Appeals To SportsSG After Coach’s Suspension Is Reduced On 1 Nov 2018, SportSG suspended a national hurdler’s coach for 2 years, after he was guilty of inappropriate behaviour during training. But Ms Kerstin Ong recently found out that the coach only served an 8-month ban after corners were allegedly cut & the suspension period was reduced. In an Instagram post on Saturday (27 Jun), the athlete reveals her side of the story in detail. In her impassioned plea, she appeals to SportSG to review the way they deal with sexual assault cases and to take them more seriously. You can read her full account here: We summarise her key points below. Coach behaved inappropriately in 2016 The coach involved in the incident was an apprentice national coach under the Singapore Athletics Association (SAA), training Ms Ong in 2016. According to a complaint report, he was behaving improperly during training sessions, enough to make the hurdler feel uncomfortable. This includes making sexual jokes and touching her inappropriately. On one instance, he smacked her buttocks while she was resting during a team physical training. He was charged for 3 offences, including insulting the modesty of a woman, outrage of modesty of a woman and 1 count of using criminal force. This was after the athlete was put through 7 hour-long interviews and lie-detector tests with the police. Only served 8 months of 2 years SportSG ban Eventually, the coach had to serve a 2-year suspension by SportSG, according to Channel News Asia (CNA). This was after he admitted all his offences to the police, stated the athlete. Furthermore, after it was backdated by 10 months, he only served 8 months of his ban, which is “unjustifiable and not transparent”, she asserted. Athlete calling for justifiable punishment by SportSG In her post, Ms Ong expressed how upset she is with the way SportSG dealt with her sexual assault case. She shared that the way local authorities deal with sexual assault cases is significant in encouraging more victims to come forward. Adding that failure to properly punish perpetrators is demoralising for victims who muster up the courage to speak up. As such, the athlete is calling for SportSG to review their verdict and urges them to take future sexual assault cases more seriously. MS News has reached out to SportSG for a statement regarding the matter. However, Ms Ong points out that SportsSG had since reduced his suspension to 1.5 years. Kudos to athletes for bravely speaking out Kudos to Ms Kerstin Ong for bravely coming forward with her story. We hope that this incident will spark more fair & necessary conversations about sexual harassment cases. This is just one story in many other unheard voices, and hopefully, her story will eventually contribute to building a safer environment for female atheletes in Singapore.

Hey all, At this time, I know many people are affected by the global pandemic in one way or another. I would like to extend this to all MCFers, offering coaching sessions for issues that you want to talk about. Some things about my background, I have training in behavioral psychology, a business graduate, and into NLP. In my course of work, I did some counselling and mentoring. I'm quite seriously considering getting certified Coach or NLP, as my next jump. Hence, I want to do something for MCF community and at same time, to prep myself for the new level. Before anyone PM me, I need to make some things very clear. 1. You need to recognise that there is an issue that you want to change in yourself. This is most important for any coachee, that he must be willing to change 2. The session is not a complaint session where you blame the whole world except yourself 3. We will aim to set some measurable goals to achieve by certain timeline 4. Everything will be kept private. I'm not going to come in here and bitch about we had talked. And I expect the same from you 5. We can have regular sessions if you are willing to and find that there are progressions along the way. I will do my best to pace and contribute 6. No gimmicks. I'm not going to make you pay something later. Maybe after CB over, you can buy me $1 coffee and talk somemore. Now because I'm not God, I can't solve everything under the sun. I think I feel most comfortable in talking in these areas in life: 1. Relationships / Dating (also includes "how to have a girlfriend", "how to date a girl" or "how to be a better boyfriend") 2. Stress / Happiness 3. Career 4. Parenting (I'm a parent myself) 5. Communication The session will be done via online: Zoom or Teams or similar. I aim to keep it to 45 mins max per session. Anyone keen, just PM me. Take care!

After Valencia coach Pako Ayestaran took over from Gary Neville at the end of last month, Valencia is back on their winning days, winning 3 consecutive league games, and propelling them to the top 8 on the La Liga table. What a reversal of fortune! If Valencia can continue on this form, I don't see why Valencia should not deserve the top 4 spots in the next season of La Liga. So what can we learn from here? It is important that a Spanish coach be in charge of a Spanish football club, so that there is no language or culture barrier. I wish Valencia all the best in the remaining matches!

We took First coach to kl this week. Bought return tickets and on the way up realized that we left the return journey tickets at home ( our fault). We contacted the office once we arrived. They have on record our names, ticket no., mode of payment etc. But refused to issue new tickets. We would have gladly bought new tickets if they do not have records, but they actually repeated our names tel no. And confirm that we are the passengers then tell us that there will be no new issue unless we can show them the return tickets- duh! Then after we purchase new tickets, told us we can get refund within 7 days if we show our unused tickets in Singapore. Today, when we got to the office, they claim they are just agents and refund will take at least 2 months and will be in ringgit although we pay in Singapore dollars. I simply cannot understand why when they know all the details of passengers, they still will not replace tickets. To me this is a matter of principle. For airlines, we just need to show passport to get a boarding pass. So for those who want to travel with this company, be extra careful. I wonder if other bus companies are the same? Anyone have encountered the same problem?

Anyone have any recommendation or contacts to charter a coach to JB for a day trip?

http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/singapore-...-093644847.html Singapore new football coach...What you think? Can Singapore be Asin new football champs and World Cup champs?

A tour coach driver who drove his bus onto a pedestrian walkway outside Changi Airport's Terminal 3 on Tuesday has been arrested for drink driving. A police spokesman said that the 48-year-old Singaporean driver had mounted a pedestrian curb outside the departure hall at around 7am. The bus, which had no passengers on board, did not hit anyone. Eyewitness Chia Xi Zhen, a 46-year-old housewife who had just returned from a family vacation in Australia, said: 'We were just about to leave the airport terminal when we saw the bus driving very near the curb. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/S...ory_812995.html

Was at TPE just now, the lorries and heavy truck drive happily on the middle lane obstructing the traffic flow. Wondering can they drive all the way in the second lane?

Hi, I am going to Cameron Highlands with my family, whats the best way to go there? By coach or self drive?

Hope all bros drive carefully there coz of the winding and wide turning roads...is actually near the 5km mark on Simpang Pulai route. Holiday season the place would be packed too... Some of the pics are not for the faint hearted...RIP to the passengers 28 dead in coach crash near KL Twenty-eight people, mostly Thai tourists, were killed yesterday when their double-decker bus crashed after a trip to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia's worst coach accident. Police said the Thai tourists were travelling along a winding road to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, when the driver lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a road divider and overturned into a ditch. "The latest we have is that 28 people have now died in the accident, with three of them Malaysians namely the driver, co-driver and tour guide and the rest being Thai tourists," said Mr Zakaria Yusof, acting state police chief. "Nine other people, all Thai tourists, were wounded in the accident and are now being treated in nearby hospitals. There were 37 people onboard the bus," the Perak state police official told AFP. Images of the accident showed the bus lying crumpled and on its roof, at the bottom of a rocky slope. Nearby, victims' bodies covered with black plastic sheets were laid out in rows. The injured were evacuated from the scene on stretchers by emergency workers dressed in fatigues. "Our initial findings show that the driver lost control of the double-decker vehicle and crashed into the road divider before toppling over and falling into the drain," Mr Zakaria said. The group had been on a package tour that included a journey to Cameron Highlands, one of Malaysia's top tourist destinations, which features tea estates and strawberry plantations. Some of the roads to the hilltop resort are narrow, windy and treacherous, but yesterday's accident occurred when the bus had reached the highway. Coach crashes are relatively common in Malaysia, often involving interstate routes, and accompanied by revelations that drivers were unlicensed, speeding or under the influence of drugs to keep themselves awake. Last week, four prison officers were killed when their bus lost control and plunged into a ravine while travelling from a sports tournament. In October, a collision involving two buses, a van and three cars claimed 13 lives on the nation's main North-South highway. Later that month, another seven people were killed when their bus overturned en route to Kuala Lumpur. A year ago, 10 people were killed when a double-decker bus struck a road divider in northern Ipoh state. In 2007, a bus crash claimed 22 lives in what the Transport Minister said at the time was the worst accident of its kind in Malaysia's history. http://himg2.huanqiu.com/attachment2010/10.../a2284d1b4c.jpg

ESPN latest : Maradona shows interest in vacant Portugal job Former Argentina boss Diego Maradona is interested in taking over the Portugal job after Carlos Queiroz was sacked last week, according to reports. With the FPF now keen to name a replacement, the Portuguese media have talked up the chances of former Sporting coach Paulo Bento. However, the federation are believed to favour a move for a coach with international experience and Jose Pekerman and Javier Aguirre have been talked about, alongside Maradona, with interest shown from the potential candidates. Maradona to become Portugal coach..........

Hi, Long time din log in. Thinking of getting a purse for my gf for her birthday. Anyone of you bought wallets for your gfs before or ladies here can give some opinions? or any other brands? any big price difference? which is more worth it? off hand thinking about max. SGD 250. or any other brands? not an expert in these luxury items so looking for some ideas here. Thank you.

hello, looking to employ a full time Golf Coach and 2 more assistant

By Bryna Sim THE e-mail accused a bowling coach at a top boys' school of showing favouritism to some of his students. It also alleged that he breached codes of professional conduct by taking a personal loan of $10,000 from a student's parent. The e-mail writer admitted that his own child had not made it to a top team and the student who did was a good bowler. And the school said there was no favouritism. But it seems a parent did give a loan to the coach, "a family friend". The coach was then counselled by the school. It is not certain if the loan was a one-off matter. The coach had been unaware of the accusations until The New Paper alerted him to them last Wednesday. The e-mail had come on April 4 from a "John Tan". The writer claimed to be a parent, an old boy of the school, and a passionate advocate of sports. When we asked if John Tan is his real name, he did not reply. Responding to The New Paper's queries, the school said it found the allegations about favouritism to be "unfounded". However, the school confirmed that the coach did approach a parent for a personal loan. The school "does not condone such behaviour", but did not say if it would terminate the services of the coach. The coach had not declared the loan to the school. Mr Tan sent his e-mail to the school principal and copied it to various others, including some in the Education Ministry. The external coach, employed by the school, was not one of the addressees. The Singapore Bowling Federation website lists him as a "Certified Level II Coach" on their registry of active coaches. This means that he is "recommended as a head coach for schools, colleges and clubs", the website said. Personal favour In his e-mail,Mr Tan wrote that the coach had taken personal "loans" from a student's parent. He gave the parent's surname in his e-mail. He claimed that with the help of a private investigator whom he had hired, he had "found out that the money (loaned) was used to repay credit card bills amounting to $40,000". Mr Tan then suggested that because of this personal favour, the lender's son was placed in the first team for the school's 'B' division bowling championships, for upper secondary students. "I'm not denying that her son is a good bowler," Mr Tan wrote, "but isn't this all too coincidental?" Mr Tan felt that the man had "breached the code of conduct as a professional coach" by his actions. In a second e-mail to the school, dated April 8, Mr Tan highlighted another incident. He claimed that the coach had "borrowed a brand new red Mercedes" belonging to another student's parent. This time round, he named the student in his e-mail. "The car was on loan to (the coach) when he conveniently forgot to drive his car to the bowling centre," wrote Mr Tan. The school said it cannot confirm the details of this particular incident as investigations are still pending. Mr Tan claimed that soon after the coach borrowed the car, that owner's son was also placed in the school's first team. Mr Tan declined to allow The New Paper to contact him by phone and kept his correspondences with us only via e-mail. "My son is still in the school team," he wrote by way of explanation. When this reporter wrote back asking him why he was choosing to expose the coach in this way, Mr Tan said he was "disgusted that such injustice was happening in the school". "It is my moral obligation to ensure that it comes to a stop. The issues I brought up are not allegations, but facts that (the coach) cannot deny," he wrote. Did he have other personal motives for doing so? Does he feel that his son had been unfairly treated? In his e-mail reply to this reporter, Mr Tan said he was "very disappointed" when his son did not make it to first team. The New Paper understands that there are several bowling teams in the school, each comprising four members. Mr Tan added that his son, like him, was "very disappointed" and might give up the sport to concentrate on school work. "I hope my child has a fair shot in making the team, and does not have to resort to underhanded methods in order to be noticed by the coach", wrote Mr Tan. Upon investigating the matter, the school spokesman said the allegations about the coach showing favouritism towards some of the bowling students were unfounded. "A fair and objective set of criteria was used to select students for the first team for bowling. This is practised by all sports groups in the school when selecting students for the first team," he said. As for the coach's decision to approach a parent for a personal loan, the spokesman said that the school "does not condone such behaviour" and has "counselled (the coach) accordingly". When contacted, the parent who had given the $10,000 loan said her son was a good bowler, and she "did not have to resort to doing (the coach) personal favours" to ensure that he got into the first team. She also emphasised that the loan was made only because the coach was "a family friend". An ex-bowling team captain of the school who declined to be named said that the man started coaching the team at the end of 2008. On the calibre of the children of both parents mentioned in the e-mails, he said: "They deserve to be in the first team. They were bowling very well even before he started coaching and have been winning many tournaments." The coach declined to discuss the allegations made against him when The New Paper called him on Monday. He is still coaching at the school. He said he did not know any parent by the name of John Tan. "I'm not aware that any parent is unhappy with me,"he said. "I don't think I've any enemies either." The spokesman said the school has invited the e-mail sender to speak to them so that they can share with him the findings of their investigations and ascertain the basis of his allegations. However, despite the school's "repeated attempts to get in touch with him", the e-mail sender had not responded to them. Although Mr Tan had seemed comfortable corresponding with this reporter via e-mail, since being told on Tuesday of the school comments, he stopped replying to our e-mails. Schools say coaches should pass on right values HIGHLY inappropriate. A breach of integrity and professionalism. That was the view of educators. It doesn't matter even if the transaction was made between the two parties on the basis of them being "family friends", said the educators we spoke to. It was still not right, and some would even consider terminating the coach's services. "Highly inappropriate," Madam Liew Wei Li, principal of Xinmin Secondary School, said of his actions. "Coaches are not only supposed to help our students achieve good results. They're supposed to convey the right values," she said. Mrs Tan Chen Kee, vice-principal of Gongshang Primary School, felt that the coach's taking of personal loans could cloud his professionalism. Even if the case in itself was a "personal affair", Yuying Secondary School vice-principal Tonnine Chua felt that it could still have "some complications", as it indirectly concerns the student. All educators The New Paper spoke to felt that counselling the coach was a good way of handling the situation. Mrs Tan and and Mrs Chua also said that they would also consider terminating the coach's services. However, Punggol Secondary School principal Lee Eet Fong said she would not be so quick as to "just dismiss the coach after one such incident". "We have to consider the impact of that decision upon the students, and the coach's personal track record," said Madam Lee. Madam Liew agreed that one such incident might not result in the coach's termination.

And try for a slice of the billion dollars!!! This group is based in Singapore??? Billion dollar deal for Asian football By Soccernet staff November 24, 2009 Mohamed Bin Hammam has sealed a record-breaking deal. The deal, which dwarfs the total revenue earned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) between 1992 and 2008, gives Singapore-based sports marketing, event management and media group WSG rights to AFC events up until 2020. "What has been achieved for this contract is quite tremendous," Bin Hammam told a select group of reporters in the Malaysian capital after the signing. "From 1992 to 2008 our total revenue from rights was $150m... for everything. Now we talk about eight years with $1 billion ... and this figure will go up, we are sure." Bin Hammam credited WSG with spotting the potential in Asian soccer. WSG have been commercial partners of the AFC since 1993. "It is AFC's pleasure to renew our tight relationship with WSG, who were the first ones to recognise the incredible potential of the Asian game. "They came to support us when our revenues (from rights) were close to zero. We had difficult times where our competitions were worth nothing ... people wanted to pay nothing." The agreement is expected to deliver "at least" $1bn in revenues to the AFC over the contractual period, WSG said. "This is a landmark deal and shows what Asian football is capable of achieving." WSG Chairman Seamus O'Brien, said: "In 1993, we made a commitment together with the AFC to take Asian football to the world. "Today, in just over a decade and a half, the value of Asian football has grown 10-fold and it has earned its rightful place on the international stage. "Its events are being watched and followed throughout the world, not just in Asia, by billions of passionate fans and viewers." Tuesday's deal with the AFC comes a week after WSG partnered with the fledgling OneAsia golf tour. Financial details of that deal were not made public, but under that multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement WSG are responsible for marketing and managing sponsorships and licensing arrangements for the golf tour.

Carlo Ancelotti has vowed to fulfil Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's desire for Champions League success after the Italian was appointed as Blues manager on Monday. Less than 24 hours after stepping down as AC Milan coach, Ancelotti signed a three-year contract with the Premier League club, worth an estimated 6.5 million pounds a year (7.4 million euros). The Italian, who succeeds Guus Hiddink at Stamford Bridge, was targeted by Chelsea owner Abramovich because of his impressive track record in Europe's elite club competition. Ancelotti led Milan to Champions League victory in 2003 against Juventus and 2007 against Liverpool, as well as reaching the 2005 final, where his team were beaten by Liverpool. As if that wasn't enough to get Abramovich's attention, Ancelotti also won the European Cup twice with Milan during his playing days. Since Abramovich purchased Chelsea in 2003, he has seen his team come agonisingly close to European glory. In the 2008 final, when penalty shoot-out misses from John Terry and Nicolas Anelka gifted Manchester United the trophy, while the Blues have also lost four semi-finals against Monaco, Liverpool twice and, most painfully, Barcelona this season. Ancelotti, who will start work on July 1, knows the pressure will be on him to reproduce his European success at the Bridge. "There will be the same pressure at Chelsea because Chelsea and Milan are great teams in Europe and they want to win all the competitions so I think there will be the same pressure," he told Chelsea TV. "For me the Champions League is a beautiful sensation. When I was a player I won the tournament two times, in 1989 and 1990. "It was a fantastic moment and the same when I was a coach with Milan in 2003 and 2007. The Champions League for me is the best competition in the world and everyone wants to win it. "Chelsea have a great record, five semi-finals in six years is a beautiful score but now we have to win it. "There will be the same pressure at Chelsea because Chelsea and Milan are great teams in Europe and they want to win all the competitions so I think there will be the same pressure." Ancelotti, who has also coached Juventus and Parma, will be managing outside Italy for the first time. But the former Italy midfielder insists he will have no problem adapting to life in the Premier League because he is already a big fan of the English game. The 49-year-old also spoke to Andriy Shevchenko, the Chelsea striker who has been on loan at Milan this season, to find out more about the club. "I see the matches always on television. I like the Premier League because there are great teams who play good football. It is very speedy. I like English football," he said. "In Italy, now and before, the matches are more tactical, the team thinks to defend well and only after to attack. "I watch Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United and I know English football very well. Chelsea have a great team, great players and a strong team. I'd like to stay here." After spluttering under Luiz Felipe Scolari earlier this season, Chelsea were revitalised by Hiddink, losing just one of 22 matches under the Dutchman and winning the FA Cup. It was Hiddink's astute man-management style that most impressed Chelsea's star-filled dressing room. Players like club captain John Terry and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba bought into Hiddink's philosophy and Ancelotti is determined to create a similiar atmosphere.

http://sport.sg.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1754690 Argentina appointed Maradona as their new coach

Now undecided Liu says even if STTA wants him to stay, he needs to think about it. He adds: 'I need space to do my job.' 'I need to be able to make decisions that won't be second-guessed.' 'I can't have people trying to disrupt what I am trying to achieve here.' By Lin Xinyi LESS than a day after welcoming the positive news that Singapore Table Tennis Association president Lee Bee Wah looked forward to working with him in preparation for the 2012 Olympics, Liu Guodong is having second thoughts about staying on as national head coach. He told The Straits Times yesterday: 'Even if the STTA wants me to stay, I will need to think about it.' This latest development comes as a shock after there were signs of progress on Tuesday night, when both Liu and Ms Lee said that they were looking forward to working with each other. Then, Ms Lee had said: 'I've considered that Liu Guodong has done a great job with the girls and met the target of a medal at the Olympics.' But, yesterday morning, Liu had a change of heart. He said: 'This whole saga - am I staying or am I going - has really hurt my pride.' If he is to stay on, his top concern is the environment he will be working in. Liu, 34, said: 'I need space to do my job. 'I need to be able to make decisions that won't be second-guessed. 'And I can't have people trying to disrupt what I am trying to achieve here.' If those assurances are given, Liu said he will stay on - '100 per cent'. However, as things stand, he is uncertain about staying put until he has had a discussion with Ms Lee. She did not want to comment on the issue when approached at the National Library last night after the closing ceremony of Read! Singapore 2008. Despite leading the women's table tennis team to a silver - Singapore's first Olympic medal in 48 years - there were initial doubts over Liu's future. This, after STTA chief Lee said that his fate would be decided by a coaching committee last Saturday. The uncertainty followed the fiasco in the Olympics' men's singles event, where Singapore No 1 Gao Ning played without a coach by his side and crashed out in the third round. Following the 'Gao Ning incident', Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan promised a full review of the controversy after Team Singapore returned from Beijing on Monday. Yesterday morning, the minister had a meeting with paddlers Li Jiawei, Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu, Sun Beibei, Gao Ning, Yang Zi and Cai Xiaoli. Dr Balakrishnan also met the coaches and team manager Antony Lee. It is unclear what was discussed. All Liu would say was that 'it went well'. Although there was speculation within the sporting fraternity that Liu had offered to resign yesterday, he quashed the rumour. He insisted that he will see out his current contract, which runs till Dec 31. This means that he will be in charge when the Republic's paddlers compete at next month's Volkswagen Women's World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Liu said: 'We've worked so hard to get to where we are. I still hope that I can be here to consolidate our position, which will be harder than our rise to the top.' [email protected] Additional reporting by Wang Meng Meng http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking...ry_272769.html this is so incomplete without the Joker http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/273684...973b3a5e4_o.gif

Hey guys, I wondered if you have similar experience with me, during your coach journey to Malaysia, especially during the night to as far as Penang. I had a horrible trip, as I had bites all over my body.