Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Thank you, BAS

Refer to this report in the Zaobao a month ago.

High hopes for former basketball player Li Ling

Straits Times, 23 Feb 2005

After giving athletics discard E Xiaoxu, 20, another shot at a sports career in Singapore in October, it looks set to make a similar offer - this time to former national basketball player Li Ling, 18.

The 1.8-metre tall thrower E - who did not meet the target set by the Singapore Amateur Athletic Association and later failed to respond to the re-offer of a new contract - was not interested, saying: 'I do not want to think about joining netball now. I want to sort out my problems first.'

The permanent resident has a job but declined to reveal her occupation.

Li, a Singapore citizen, was a key member of the silver-winning team at the 2003 South-east Asia Games.

She resigned during an inquiry last December, said the Basketball Association of Singapore, following reports from the team leader, manager and coach on her disciplinary problems.

Said chief executive Ng Guat Heng: 'BAS accepted the resignation and allowed her to make a gracious exit.'

The 1.88m Li then approached the netball body. She was put through selection (fitness and agility) tests, taught the basics of the game and had to play some netball games.

NS intends to make her a proposal to join both as a squad member and a full-time employee helping out with its daily operations.

But this will have to wait until she returns on March 14 from China, where she is spending Chinese New Year.

NS president Ivy Singh-Lim is confident she will be able to make a smooth transition to netball.

She said: 'She is tall, athletic and has great potential - assets that make her suitable for the team.

'Ex-basketball players make the best netballers. Many netballers from the Sri Lankan team were formerly basketball players. She is everything we're looking for.'

She added: 'You don't bring foreign athletes in just to win medals. People's lives must be respected and we will ensure she is treated well. We are also interested to find out what her ambition in life is.'