SINGAPORE – Mark Chay is not going to search re-election as Singapore Aquatics (SAQ) president when his two-year time period ends in August, after being identified with continual myeloid leukaemia, a most cancers of the white blood cells.
In an unique interview with The Straits Occasions, the 42-year-old former nationwide swimmer stated: “The primary consideration for my choice is to concentrate on organising the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with fellow organising committee co-chairperson (Sport Singapore chief) Alan Goh.
“The second is my well being. It’s about re-prioritisation, specializing in getting effectively, in addition to spending extra time with my household.
“Working a nationwide sports activities affiliation isn’t simple. It requires quite a lot of time, power, dedication, particularly for those who’re Singapore Aquatics the place we now have 5 aquatic sports activities and there are excessive expectations each time we go to any main Video games. As such, the SAQ presidency is a full-time dedication which I don’t have in me now.”
As a former nationwide athlete, Chay competed on the SEA, Asian, Commonwealth and Olympic Video games, and was named Sportsboy and Sportsman of the 12 months in 2001 and 2002 respectively.
Nonetheless, he now has the largest combat on his fingers, after the most cancers prognosis surfaced following an annual check-up in March.
He stated: “If you obtain information like this, you don’t actually know what’s occurring. My spouse was with me after I acquired the report. I sought a second opinion and went to a specialist they usually confirmed that is the scenario. I went for a lot of consultations, and I didn’t know whether or not the oral chemotherapy remedy will likely be efficient or not.
“I believed and feared the worst. I puzzled if I’ve executed sufficient to arrange my household, particularly now that I’ve a three-year-old daughter.
“Bodily I really feel a bit extra fatigued from the therapy usually, though I’m feeling so much higher these days and I don’t assume it has actually affected me that a lot. It’s been a couple of months, and the remedy appears to be taking me the place I must be. However till I get right into a steady state, my priorities needs to be being there for my household.”
The SAQ annual common assembly (AGM) must be referred to as by Sept 30, when its subsequent president and 9 different positions will likely be elected.
Associates need to be given 21 days’ discover of the AGM, whereas the deadline to submit the nomination types is seven working days earlier than the election.
By the way, the subject of succession was already mentioned among the many SAQ government committee in January, and Chay’s most cancers prognosis sped up the activation of the plan, as he backed SAQ secretary-general Kenneth Goh to take over due to his “proper perspective, aptitude and experiences”.
The 46-year-old, who was a former nationwide 50m and 100m breaststroke nationwide report holder, is a tutorial director and affiliate professor on the Singapore Administration College.
