Police report lodged over fin swimmers’ falsified results for 2023 SEA Games selection

The fin swimming team at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.PHOTO: SNOC/ANDY CHUA

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Underwater Federation (SUF) submitted falsified results for the women’s 4x200m relay surface event during the selection for the 2023 SEA Games, said Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) in a joint statement on March 19.

A Committee of Inquiry (COI) was convened by the two organisations on July 1, 2024, to investigate allegations that the SUF had submitted falsified results for the relay team. The COI concluded its investigations in February 2025 and a police report was lodged on March 18.

The committee was chaired by Lau Kok Keng, a partner at law firm Rajah & Tann and SNOC executive committee member, and comprised members from SNOC and SportSG.

In 2023, Singapore sent a team of fin swimmers comprising Bernice Ting, Jovita Ho, Jamie Ang and Vanessa Ong to the Cambodia Games. They finished last out of four in the women’s 4x200m surface relay final.

Fin swimming is an underwater sport consisting of four techniques involving swimming with the use of fins on the water’s surface using a snorkel with either monofins or bi-fins.

The SUF oversees all underwater sport and activities and competitions in Singapore. These include disciplines such as finswimming, underwater hockey, freediving, scuba diving and snorkelling.

Aside from the falsified results, the COI also “identified areas of poor governance and a failure within SUF” to report wrongdoings of those involved.

“SNOC and SportSG do not condone any acts that undermine the integrity of the Major Games selection process,” said the statement.

“We take this opportunity to remind our sporting community to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in their conduct. National sport associations (NSAs) must exercise responsibility in submitting accurate and authentic data-points.”

The statement also said that the SUF had its membership revoked by the SNOC in December 2023 after its suspension by its International Federation on a separate matter.

SportSG has also suspended support to the administrators, athletes and the National Registry of Coaches membership of the coaches who were involved.

They added: “To better protect our systems and processes against abuse, fraud, and any other non- compliant acts, all NSAs will be required to undertake an additional declaration to authenticate all relevant Major Games selection-related supporting documents submitted on SportSync (an integrated platform used by SportSG and NSAs for the management of sport data).

“SportSG will also step up sample checks to verify the authenticity of all supporting documents and data-points.”

Source: Straits Times https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/police-report-lodged-over-fin-swimmers-falsified-results-for-2023-sea-games-selection