Joseph Schooling, a Singapore Olympic star has recently been suspended for consuming cannabis while in Vietnam last May. The countries first gold medalist was suspended from competing in future games after admitting to consuming cannabis during his most recent trip.
During the 2016 Rio Games, 27-year-old Schooling won the country’s first gold medal. Now, 6 years later, he has been suspended from competing in future events due to his admittance. The controversy has divided the opinion of the country, with many claiming that he should be allowed to compete even though he consumed the drug. In multiple interviews, people expressed their opinion by saying that, “Every young person makes mistakes,” and “This is a nothingburger. Many have tried it overseas.”
Singapore, known for their strict drug policies bans the consumption of drugs within their territories and prosecutes all who take drugs abroad. Citizens and residents who fail urine tests face up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Schooling’s statement on the issue was this, “I gave in to a moment of weakness after going through a very tough period of my life… There is no excuse, and I will take the warning given to me seriously and reflect on my mistakes.”
The ministry of Defense in Singapore said that Schooling passed the urine drug test but still needed to be punished for confessing. Schooling consumed the cannabis while on break from military service during his training for the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi last May.
Schooling is to be put on supervised urine test regimes for six months and could be sentenced to up to nine months detention in military detention barracks if he tests positive.
Read the entire article from BBC here.
