SINGAPORE: Singapore's only Olympic gold medal winner, swimmer Joseph Schooling, will not be given further leave from national service to compete because he admitted to using cannabis, the tightly-controlled city-state said on Wednesday.
Schooling, 27, who defeated American Michael Phelps to win the 100 metres butterfly in the 2016 games, did not test positive for the drug but admitted to using it while overseas earlier this year, the defence ministry said.
Singapore has some of the world's toughest drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers, and has shown no sign of softening its stance on cannabis even as many countries including nearby Thailand are moving to decriminalise the drug.
"Schooling will no longer be eligible for leave or disruption to train or compete while in national service," the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that he will be placed on a supervised urine test regime for six months.
Schooling, whose father died last year, said on social media late Tuesday that he "gave in to a moment of weakness after going through a very tough period".
He did not give specific details and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Schooling will likely miss next year's Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, local media reported.
Schooling has previously been allowed to defer Singapore's national service, which is mandatory for males and usually taken immediately after high school, in order to compete.
He used cannabis while he was on short-term leave from national service in May 2022 to train and participate in the Southeast Asian Games held in Vietnam, the defence ministry said.
Schooling failed to qualify from the heats in the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year, and his father died a few months later after being diagnosed with liver cancer.
Reuters
Thu Sep 01 2022
Schooling, 27, did not test positive for the drug but admitted to using it while overseas earlier this year, the defence ministry said. - REUTERS/Filepic
KOM beri tiga atlet kebebasan pilih SUKMA atau kejohanan dunia
KOM memberi kebebasan kepada tiga atlet muda kebangsaan, untuk memilih sama ada mewakili negeri ke SUKMA atau menyahut cabaran negara pada Kejohanan Olahraga Dunia Bawah 20 tahun (B-20) 2024.
Anggota polis didakwa terima rasuah beri tembakau kepada tahanan lokap
Seorang anggota polis berpangkat koperal berhadapan dua pertuduhan menerima rasuah sebagai balasan membawa masuk barang terlarang kepada tahanan lokap.
SPRM sahkan tiada penyelewengan, rasuah dikesan dalam projek NTC setakat ini
SPRM mengesahkan tidak menemui sebarang penyelewengan serta rasuah setakat ini berhubung cadangan projek pembinaan National Training Center (NTC) di Putrajaya yang dianggar bernilai RM25 juta.
WEF: Perdagangan Malaysia, Arab Saudi boleh diperkukuh menerusi kerjasama - Tengku Zafrul
Kerjasama Malaysia-Arab Saudi dengan saling memanfaat kekuatan antara satu sama lain dapat menyokong pertumbuhan perdagangan dan pelaburan.
Jalan berlubang, penunggang motosikal dapat ganti rugi RM721,000
Akibat kemalangan tersebut, plaintif mengalami kecederaan di bahu, lengan, jari dan kepala.
Selamatkan Gaza: Gaza semakin hari semakin memburuk
Peperangan di Gaza semakin hari semakin memburuk. Setakat ini dilaporkan lebih 37 ribu warga Gaza telah terkorban kerana serangan demi serangan daripada rejim Zionis.
Ia membawa kepada berlakunya krisis kemanusiaan di Gaza ketika ini.
Di Mesyuarat Khas wef yang berlangsung di Arab Saudi..krisis ini menjadi antara tumpuan.
Kita terus bersama dengan Najib Aroff dan Ashwad Ismail yang mengikuti mesyuarat ini di Arab Saudi.
Ia membawa kepada berlakunya krisis kemanusiaan di Gaza ketika ini.
Di Mesyuarat Khas wef yang berlangsung di Arab Saudi..krisis ini menjadi antara tumpuan.
Kita terus bersama dengan Najib Aroff dan Ashwad Ismail yang mengikuti mesyuarat ini di Arab Saudi.
Letupan bom Sungai Golok: Empat anggota keselamatan Thailand cedera
Empat anggota keselamatan Thailand cedera apabila terkena letupan bom di Sungai Golok, Thailand, malam tadi.
Berang tidak bantu angkat tong gas, penghantar barang dibelasah, motosikal dirosakkan
Suspek menyerang mangsa dengan topi keledar sehingga menyebabkan mangsa mengalami kecederaan di dahi.
Arahan tutup pasar malam waktu Maghrib tidak babitkan peniaga bukan Islam
Arahan penutupan sementara hanya membabitkan peniaga Islam bagaimanapun turut menggalakkan peniaga bukan Islam sekiranya mahu berbuat demikian.
Pelan Tindakan Pendidikan dan Penghayatan Rukun Negara dilancar Ogos ini - Aaron
Ia melibatkan Kementerian Perpaduan Negara, Kementerian Pendidikan, Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi, dan Kementerian Komunikasi.
Pemberita hampa perenang Singapura, Joseph Schooling, tidak muncul
Pemberita hampa apabila juara Olimpik Singapura Joseph Schooling tidak muncul tatkala pasukan renang negara pulau itu tiba di sini hari ini untuk Sukan SEA Kuala Lumpur 2017 (KL2017).