George Yang, Author at Goody Feed

Ever since news of Joseph Schooling’s cannabis consumption shocked the nation, people have been wondering how he got caught. Or, to put it more specifically, why he had suddenly admitted to the offence that happened in May this year. To know more about the Joseph Schooling saga, watch this to the end: https://www.youtube.com/watch?vtYS_U75offo&listPLoa9nNa48ZVVgUOs4vYirCdsJQpkbUe51 So, this begs the question: did Joseph Schooling admitted to cannabis consumption, or was he somehow caught before admitting to it? According to The Straits Times, it’s…complicated. Why Joseph Schooling Reportedly Admitted to Consuming Cannabis It all allegedly started in early August. National swimmer Amanda Lim, who also admitted to consuming cannabis, and the swimming team, were coming back to Singapore on 5 August after the Commonwealth Games. The Games were held from 28 July to 8 Aug, whereby Team Singapore won four gold medals: three from table tennis, and one from badminton. The swimming team won two silvers, from the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle S7 final, clinched by Teong Tzen Wei and Toh Wei Soong respectively. Schooling had not joined the Games as he wanted to focus on the SEA Games and the now-postponed Asian Game, so he wasn’t there. When Lim was back from the Commonwealth Games, she was found to have a weed grinder. A weed grinder is a tool used to break down cannabis into small bits so they are a similar size and consistency. With that, she was questioned and her mobile phone was seized. What happened after that was unclear, but several Singaporean swimmers were then called up for questioning and testing, too. Then, Schooling and Lim went to Phuket for a holiday, and Schooling was questioned when he was back in Singapore. It’s not known when he confessed to the cannabis consumption: whether it was after 5 August whereby national swimmers were called up for questioning, or when he returned to Singapore from Phuket. Joseph Schooling is now Private Schooling in the Republic of Singapore Navy (very apt, I know), and as of now, the fate of his swimming career is still unclear. Many Brands Have Just Ended Their Contract With Him While the authorities like Sport Singapore and Singapore Swimming Association are still reviewing the case and would decide on what to do with the saga soon, some brands that have worked with Schooling have responded. Pretty swiftly, I might add. Hugo Boss said that the four-year-partnership with and support for Schooling remains “strong and unwavering”, and rather than viewing Schooling’s cannabis consumption as a stain on his record, Hugo Boss Southeast Asia sees this as an opportunity for him to make amends. Most of the other brand partnerships Schooling have had either long expired or they had just ended recently due to his commitment to National Service (NS). Nestle, Milo’s parent company, stated that their endorsement agreement with the Olympic swimmer has already ended in 2020. It was a three-year contract. The Nestle spokesperson echoed Hugo Boss’ sentiments. Instead of emphasising on Schooling’s recent mistake, they focused on the contributions he has made to Singapore, and how he has been a source of motivation for other athletes. “We acknowledge his transparency on this incident and his commitment to take action and remain an inspiring model for all Singaporeans,” the Nestle spokesperson added. With regards to this statement, it was referring to the fact that Schooling had posted his own apology on social media shortly after the Ministry of Defence and Sport Singapore issued a joint statement. Similarly, DBS Bank said that its sponsorship agreement with Schooling that started in 2018 had ended last year before he was enlisted for NS. Toyota also said that the sponsorship which began in 2018 had just expired in June 2022. That was a close call, especially since Schooling had consumed cannabis in May, only for it to be exposed in late August. Yakult Singapore shared a similar timeline: the beverage brand began sponsoring Schooling in 2018, and their contract ended in 2020. Read Also: Zilingo Accused of Forging Certs to Sell Low-Quality Masks to India in 2020 There is Now a 2G Version of 8 Dukes of Caldecott Hill A Woman Has Been Thirsting for ‘NS Boys’ on TikTok & Even Received Emails from Real NSFs Landslide at Clementi Damaged Park Connector & Injured One Person It’s Going to Rain Almost Every Morning in the First Half of Sept 2022 Featured Image: Facebook (Team Singapore)