The STTA’s president must realise that winning an Olympic medal means nothing if we do not also have basic common courtesy – and professionalism.
Andrew Loh / Deputy Editor
Bloggers are scathing in their criticisms over the actions of the president of the Singapore Table Tennis Association, Ms Lee Bee Wah, in sacking table tennis team manager, Antony Lee.
“It took 48 years for the country to win an Olympic medal,” said blogger Ian Tan , “and it took one decision to totally kill it.”
Although the Today paper had quoted Ms Lee as saying that she “is not sacking anybody,” (Today) many still believe that she was.
She had explained that Antony Lee’s contract would expire on Aug 31, and that even before the Beijing Olympics, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) had discussed facilitating his return. “I said I had no objection,” Ms Lee had said. “It has nothing to do with the Gao Ning incident,” she added. Indeed, the SSC’s chief, Mr Wayde Clews, confirmed this. “Antony’s secondment is until Aug 31, and the agreement with STTA was that he would return to SSC after that.”
Yesterday, the Sunday Times reported Ms Lee as having said: “I have a new team, and will have a new CEO and technical director. It is best that the manager is chosen by them. Antony is welcome to apply for the position when we ask for applications.”
The Today paper quoted her: “I didn’t say that Antony and the coach will be sacked…I feel that it’s all been blown out of proportion and now the damage is really terrible.”
However, her clarification does not seem to cut any ice with bloggers. Strategy to Freedom felt that Ms Lee should have given a more concrete reason on the dismissal. “Ms Lee has cited none so far apart from that (sic) a new CEO and a new technical director are coming on board,” he said. Sherfiee felt that the successful effort made by the coach and others should take precedence over the oversight of not having a coach being present at Gao Ning’s match against his Croatian opponent. Some felt that even if an infraction was committed on the part of the team manager or the coach, a proper inquiry should have first been arranged. “The alleged infraction must have been extremely grave to warrant immediate dismissal in Beijing!” said Dr Huang Shoou Chyuan, who blogs at nofearsingapore.blogspot.com.
“I felt she lost the plot when she went about unprofessionally and definitely showing her inexperience by indicating that Antony Lee’s services were no longer needed,” said Razorback88. “What a knee-jerk reaction!”
Jinn Pod is more concerned about the kind of message that such actions would send to athletes. “Does she even know what kind of hard work the whole team, including the coaches and managers, have gone through to achieve such success? It didn’t happen overnight,” he wrote. “So there was a slip-up. Couldn’t it be handled in a better way? What kind of message are you giving to the athletes?”
Beautiful Disarray agrees. “After guiding our female table tennis athletes to winning our first medal at the Olympics since Singapore’s independence… this is how you repay them – by telling them they’re “not needed” anymore?”
Ms Lee’s actions also brought up the concern that it would affect the morale of the table-tennis association, its athletes and the celebration which is expected when the team returns home to Singapore. “She has really dampened our Celebrations for this Olympic Silver after 48 years!” says Razorback88. Names Recall feels that how Singaporeans view her explanation “will have a bearing for the table tennis morale to come”.
Full Stomach said it was in bad taste to publicly criticise a team member on television. “It is the kind of school boy (or girl) mistake that every entry level management literature teaches you: NEVER PUT YOUR TEAM MEMBER DOWN IN FRONT OF EVERYONE,” he wrote. “But really, doing it in front of national TV is bad taste.”
Despite all the diatribes against Ms Lee, not many are calling for her resignation, though Workers’ Party member Mr Yaw Shin Leong proposed that the STTA “review(s) the future of its current president”. He added, however, that if Ms Lee’s objectives are in line with what STTA intends to do and she can still contribute, STTA should welcome her.
“Otherwise, STTA should have a new president. It is best that the new president is chosen by the STTA,” said Mr Yaw. “Also Ms Lee should be welcome to apply for the position when STTA ask for applications,” he quipped, alluding to Ms Lee’s own statement that “team manager Antony Lee could make applications to the STTA when we ask for applications”.
Yaw was quick to add that he was not saying that Ms Lee should be sacked.
What is still left in the balance is the future of manager Lee. When contacted yesterday by the Today paper, he said he had yet to hear from the STTA or the SSC regarding his future. It would thus seem that not only has Ms Lee been insensitive (with an atrocious sense of timing and some would say, arrogance), the SSC too seems to be dragging its feet over the future of the manager. The SSC should do the decent thing and let Antony Lee know about his future with the STTA soon. This is only right if we want to trumpet our silver medal win. We should not treat the person most responsible for it in such an unprofessional manner.
Saddened though he may be, manager Lee is proud of what he has achieved. “Whatever happens, the new management cannot discount the contribution of the former staff,” he said. “I still feel proud because I can say that I’ve been part of a team that made history, a team that made the Olympic medal dream happen.”
The STTA’s president must realise that winning an Olympic medal means nothing if we also do not have basic common courtesy.
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lbw – you got a perfect gift – it seems one pair is not enough to get running. What about presenting with another 10 pairs. If still won’t run with these, no words can describe you.
It was declared that the crisis was over.
Is that so? I don’t think so.
There was no sincerity in Lee Bee Wah’s public apology. She merely tried to make use of the opportunity to neutralize her guilt over the blunder.
She was heard over the radio that “…We made some comment which was misunderstood by people..”
Who are the “we”? It was crystal clear that she was the only culprit in the entire saga. Nobody else was involved.
Her stupid decision was loud and clear that the Team Manager’s service was no longer needed and that the Chief coach’s fate would be decided by the Coaching Committee. Who has misunderstood her..?
She said during the press conference that she tendered apology on behalf of STTA, coaches and the management.
The decision to sack the 2 guys was her own. It was not the collection decision by the Association or any board. Why must she tender the apology on behalf of so many people?
The Minister who was present at the press conference obviously condoned her nonsensical talk.
Do you think everyone is sleeping?. Do you think this is an apology at all? lbw – are we that naive, what do you think you are implying “we misunderstood you”. What do you mean by “on behalf of….”. Is this your way of admitting “wrongs”
To accept your apology simply in this manner? Seems 1 pair of shoes is not enough!
Can I know how many people are there in this team for which you are so called “president”? Can’t imagine how in such a scenario, with a handful team, one cannot know what is happening. What a joke!
Plenty to comment, but wasting time.
Btw, do not need to create attention.
100% attention definitely not to this game.
she looked absolutely stupid…and that pair of shoes …meaning? shaft into your big mouth and it’s too big for u..implying the job. That auntie just dont get it.
can the photo be removed? aiyah, going to vomit again…
If PAP doesn’t know how to prune the wild weed grown out of order. I bad to support PAP too long, I will make sure I no bad anymore.
Yes, pls remove the photo..
I can’t stand it.. too
I was going to doze off on this blog but it seems like comments still keep coming in – but really what is next , guys ? Establishment do not seem to give a damn to netizens’ views.
Buy running shoes and donate them away to STTA ? Antithesis of brocolli delivered to the White House lawn?
To What’s next? maybe the petiton shouldbe revived?
Total bullshit from LBH. MIsunderstood? Don’t insult our intellingent. Worst of all, no respects to all Singaporean as an MP, needless to say she completely screwed as the President of STTA.
I don’t think she will step down by herself. She can’t affort to lose it due to the status and the pay packages could be too attractive since she just upgraded her car to a Mercedes E-class. Therefore, she die-die must hold on and put on her bullet proof vest.
If she step down, definitely able to reduce our stress level and increase fertility rates.
“What’s next’ – Tis monkey tree tat the Lee Blahh Blahhh is hanging on will start shaking when they see votes not going their way. They need some competition to wake up their idea. We suffer when they sit there too long too comfortable.
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209) What’s next ? on September 1st, 2008 12.16 am I was going to doze off on this blog but it seems like comments still keep coming in – but really what is next , guys ? Establishment do not seem to give a damn to netizens’ views
Hierarchy here. Players, and their actions :
LBW – Aunty. To make mistakes, or to carry out pre-decided hatchet job.
TSL – BabyFace, baby talk. “See no mistakes, Talk less, make less mistakes.”
ViVBala – Doctor (got cure). ‘Case closed, categorically’. ‘Resolved, because I say
so.’
Stinks all the way to high heavens.
LBW, You are already structurally damaged! yet you refuse to step down. For the sake of Singaporeans kindly do so! Likewise with Gao Ming we do not need both of you to represent Singapore anymore,Don’t disgrace us further.
The opening ceremony of the Olympics is very spectacular. I was glued to the seat, but there is only one moment, I went to “jamban to pansai”. lbw – do you have the mentality to know which moment – fllwg prizes for you -
some big thick masks and also a couple of pairs of running shoes, since 1 pair is not enough to get running.
Guess you have a lot of super glue, eh?
Hey, what or who is this lbw? From the jungle?
I had not and will not watch tt, unless its between others.
Esp not in the future, if there is this lbw whatever.
Go pansai better.
We should know what to do for the next GE
ST Forum on the same topic which created Singapore history with the most number of netizens comments has been taken down. Now cannot comment further from the same thread. More than 50 pages of comments have been taken out.
Wonder why?
May be they could not allow us to “pangsai” anymore on her. Again, she may have got the Media to wipe her “ass” clean with no trace of the “thread”.
liu – if want me to stay, lbw – you listen to me.
lbw – respect you as senior – oh yes, based on looks or based on number of loosened screws
ST Forum (print) has this way of letting people ‘complain’, allows the authorities to ‘explain’, and then cuts off the complainant, as if the complainant had nothing to say or guilty as charged.
There are also instances where ST Forum Online postings are rejected, without any given reasons (context filtering, whatever).
This is why the control of media is important for the authorities.
Online blogs are very powerful and scary to people in politics. I would not be surprise if LBW begins to have other fallouts. Better that, than to take down the entire GRC (along with the PM).
I just checked on ST discussion forum, you can still get it by clicking on Sports and the threads : “Why now? ask officials” currently stands at 23,800+ visits and 571 comments made. which I think is a high.
But by keeping it out of main sight, they does hope that thread will not be searched and viewed and commented. So, it may cause further distancing of reader on ST subjects.
Yet, agreeing with Parket(#220), ST have its way of classifying things. The above thread which was most vistied and commented was not highlighted in their front page, but we need to dig them out by earnest readers. Wonder what they means by most visited and most commented then????
Hope TOC can assess this thread here better to keep interests on this incident. Lest we forget what STTA will be down the revamp.
Even if there are no more comments, it will not mean that we accept your so called apology.
I had been celebrating since I found out the result of the semi-finals match that lbw may have been waiting to have credit for. (that’s exactly what lbw immediately shows – flexing the fats) My first exclamation is hooray! Finals go to C v C. (expected).
Congratulations to the gold medalists. Want to know why we are so happy – because otherwise, credit will go to pansai. Irregardless, winners are still….. not you, kanasai, I go pansai, ugochiasai. Credits to the players from…..
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GOLD MEDALISTS!
Just waiting to see tat woman to walk in the shoe too big. : )))))))
lbw – think it’s time to say your last words….
not to worry, your last gift is ready…
how come no one revived the petition? we cant let it be sweeped under the carpet whilst she accused Singaporean of misunderstanding her..really add insult to injury of Singaporeans…
Hay, Teo sl stop giving stupid excuse’s U are talking about an MP ,if U all MP’s cannot do a good & proper job then gat the shit out of that position.
U can go back & start delivering packages, express mail & well Lbw can help increase population in singapore(go make babies) .
i think we dun have to worry about Lbw career as a politician, she will probably be “re-deloyed to somewhere that she can serve the community better”(tat means another GRC la) that no need competition one…(tat means walkover la), where got so many gangho opposition candidates……. then she is re-elected another term lor….so simple horr?!?
Lbw staying in AMK GRC will definitely hurt LHL so i dun think he so kamgong to keep her (she also not Lily Neo, so chio bu…..).
i think LHL see Lbw now also want to torsai (vomit la) becos so many people must kio her sai……
now must let LbW kio her own sai and see now she can chosimisai…..while now everything related to sai is LbW!! sui hor! LBW -Loose Bowel Woman!!!!wuahahahaha!!!! – also sai, now she really kia ka laosai!!!! LOL
last but not least – Antony and Liu Guodong , I support you!
see..our paddlers is not heading anywhere now..all wiped out in the recent Shanghai Games..sigh..
As a TT fan, I am indeed concern of its recent decline of TT achievements as results are beginning to show.
The injustice done to ex-head coach Li as per current newspaper reports shows the lack of common courtesy and professionalism in the STTA officials hiding behind a “COMMITTEE” in all its decision.
Firstly, Lee Bee Wah doesn’t have the right to make so much noise as she can’t even play tabble tennis!
Also, Coach Liu did the right thing by nt following that Gao Ning– because Gao Ning can’t even get close to any medal. He just doesn’t have IT! Quite loserish yea!
Coach Liu said he would get a medal for Singapore, he did his part! What’s all this about being fair? It’s Lee Bee Wah who is just trying to test her powers.
Probably one day that Lee Bee Wah will see the real justice, hope she would have no more powers!!!
MUHAHAHAHAHAH!
The problem basically is that most sports associations are headed by MPs,Why must this be so? Its because of this that any issue that crops up become politicised! Maybe a good start is to appoint non political figures to head any sports association otherwise you can expect more of such irrational decision making and foul up.
I remember when the debacle ended, the coach was offered a similar job but with reduced pay. Of course he did not accept as he rightly said he made no mistake. He has to make a decision there and then when another coach was ill.and he rightly chose to be with the female players. Any right thinking person would have done the same- the reason is so obvious!
If the STTA has offered the job to LIU, how come he was branded, unprofessional, lack of integrity and support from the players now?. If this was so, why did STTA offered him the job in the first place with reduced pay? I feel honesty is the best policy otherwise one will be caught with the pants down!
Singapore has thrived and prospered because we believe in meritocracy, integrity and HONESTY. So it is best for STTA and all other sports associations to be open and have a clear conscience of all its actions and decisions.
Liu was originally invited to end Singapore’s medal drought. This was the only reason why he came to Singapore and, he really did it in Beijing Olympics. Therefore, Lee Bee Wah’s argument on integrity and professionalism are entirely nonsense, at least inferior to what STTA team had achieved in Beijing. What is STTA’s most important job? Surely Olympics medals. If a coach has a good connection with Lee Bee Wah, both publicly and privately, as well as with players, but fails to win big event medals, I wonder if Lee B W will nominate him/her. Let Jing Jun-hong take this test by Lee B W now. Bear in mind that a coach must be strong enough, just look at Sir Alex Ferguson and his football team. A good coach behaves like an wild and shrewd wolf, not a mild and blind sheep. As a matter of fact, after Liu returned to China, he helped a table tennis club be among the top 3 in China, within a rather short time. His coaching capability is beyond the question. Lee Bee Wah should step down as she knows little about SPORTS! STTA’s 2012 London’s goal never turns so gloomy under the manipulation of LEE B W.
Whatever mistakes LBW did will only lead to further drop in the vote count in the next GE for the PAP, simple as that, so let it be.
LBW should just go. It will be healthier for the progression of the sporting life here. She is an anachronism and her continual presence will degrade not only the STTA, but the status of professional sports in Singapore. We need dynamic management, not people who are petty and dictatorial. she should just retire peacefully to her MP job. Give it up, LBW. You are not there yet in people management or professionalism. And get your face out of the tv cameras! It really is irritating to see the face that spews such venom at your subordinates.
Yes, agreed with doc, LBW should just go. She never learn and watch what she says. Yeh. NOT PROFESSIONAL IN WHAT SHE HAD DONE.
Lee Bee Wah’s arrogance, her high-handedness, her complete lack of fiancé and diplomacy in dealing with matters brings a bad name to women and to table-tennis.
As Singapore matures, such imperious, high-handed and despicable conduct/ remarks, will no longer be tolerated and there is bound to be back-lash.
Any lack of integrity and professionalism, is on her part and not Liu’s! Her initial unhappiness has degenerated to personal vendetta. In the face of such personal, emotional attacks, I support the call for her resignation. She should step down graciously because she has showed no graciousness nor acknowledgement to Liu from being instrumental in bring the silver medal home after 2 decades of drought.
It does not matter anymore. The golden age of table tennis in Singapore is over. The China gals who came here and worked so hard for years to get a medal, have done their part, and really, they and everyone around them know the GOLD belongs to CHINA only. today and in the future. The people with the “Olympic experience” are getting married, having babies and smiling already – their fight is over.
Please, let’s not fool ourselves. Even for the YOG, asa host, our target is ONLY 5 medals ha ha ha ha ha. what a joke, and most SIngaporeans are not even in the excietd mood about the YOG.
2012? go there and enjoy London. Or prepare all the full-proof excuses early, because it is clear we are finished. There is no fire left.
LBW – another spolit PAP doggy that will misbehave because of the so-called clout around her. i don’t know and don’t care about her anymore.
hei, why hasn’t LBH step down. Making other people a scapegoat for all the trouble, mess she has created.
In other countries, heads would have rolled especially from the over top, which is the President.
I can’t image anyone coming up with the idea of asking Lee Jia Wei to either have BABY NOW OR TILL 2010. THAT IS ABSURD AND UNREASONABLE.
wELL, I GUESS LEE AGREED BECAUSE SHE WAS EXPECTING, OTHERWISE anyone in a sound mind would not have agreed to such a ridiculous and unaccpetable proposal or should i put it utimatium.
She wont step down. Unless the richest elite club that she’s in boot her out.