In May we reported that in light of the Olympic postponement to July 2021, Singaporean swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen had both applied to further extend their full-time national service (NS) deferment.
Both swimmers had previously been granted long-term deferment from NS to compete at the Games originally scheduled to begin this year. But, with the one-year Olympic delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, they were seeking an extension to the city-state requirement that all male citizens aged 18 serve 2 years in the military.
Now CNA is reporting that the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) has granted both swimmers their NS deferments.
“They have also committed to be fully focused in their preparations for the Olympic Games, in order to reach their peak form and will not undertake any additional activities such as commercial sponsorships,” MINDEF said.
“Should the Olympic Games be cancelled, they will be scheduled for enlistment.” (CNA)
“Both have qualified for the coming Olympic Games – Schooling for the 100m butterfly event, and Quah for the 100m butterfly and backstroke events,” said MINDEF.
“Schooling and Quah have met the criteria for deferment to be extended.”
MINDEF also reiterated its criteria for granting NS deferment to athletes, noting that it is granted to “exceptional sportsmen who are assessed to be potential medal winners for Singapore at top-tier international competitions like the Olympic Games”.
Schooling is the reigning 100m fly Olympic champion, having beaten the trio of American Michael Phelps, Hungarian Laszlo Cseh and South African Chad Le Clos, all of whom tied for silver, in Rio. He is back training in the United States under former coach Sergio Lopez, following a stint in Singapore under National Team Head Coach Stephan Widmer.
Quah finished in 27th place in the men’s 200m fly at last year’s World Championships.
Lot’s of respect that these two are taking their national service commitments seriously. Mandatory National Service is exactly what we need in the US. Not just military but civilian as well. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines are just as important as Vista, Teach for America and other great community based options. Pick up a gun, pick up a broom, I don’t care but pick something up and do your part. The disconnect we see in our society today didn’t just happen. As a nation we can’t have a common conversation without a common experience.
🤡🤡🤡
Impressive you are up so early after a late night in downtown Portland.
Singapore is a small city state with a history of hostility with it’s only neighbor Malaysia. The United States in a massive country able to maintain a massive fighting force over 1 million active personnel just off of volunteers. If war came the US armed forces has nearly another million personnel in reserves to call up.
The USA really doesn’t need mandatory conscription.
I tend to agree with IM FAN. Anything you’ll ever read by experts in the matter will say that the US essentially could essentially hold off invasion by the entire world indefinitely. Any future global-scale wars involving Americans won’t be fought by massive fighting forces anyway.
The idea about serving in non-military ways, like Teach for America, is certainly interesting. But, I don’t think mandatory conscription is the way to go about that. I think young people WANT to be more involved with programs like those, but they’ve been pushed and pushed for so long about their careers their careers that they’re eager to jump into the work force ASAP. I think if, alternatively, you made better-defined career pathways that… Read more »
I couldn’t disagree more. Mandatory service with Civilian and Military options. We all learn about our rights but what about our responsibilities? Socially part of the problem I see is that we simply have very little in common with each other. Free has no value, having to earn your place in society does. Granted I served and I raised my kids to all serve, it helped that my father did as well. A shared experience in embracing civic responsibility.
Singapore doesn’t need mandatory conscription either, at all for that matter. Hardly any tension with Malaysia. National service is more a means of disciplining the youth.
Going to respectfully disagree. I think what we need is less military in America.
More funding for education, infrastructure, and social security is truly what we need. I think if we had a mandatory military requirement, we would be full-on military-industrial complex (we basically already are with how much we spend).
“Civilian or Military”……
I’m sorry man, John Delaney dropped out before the primaries
The reason he dropped out is nobody cared. No reason for you to apologize.
What a terrible law
“Will not undertake any additional activities such as commercial sponsorships.” Well, that’s a bummer.
Unfortunate for them both as it could impact their livelihood and ability to make money, but on the bright side could encourage them to be a bit more focused.
Pretty sure that’s why that text was included — for Schooling.