PRESS STATEMENT

27 October 2011

RESPONSE FROM SINGAPORE KARATE-DO FEDERATION ON:

(A) STRAITS TIMES REPORT ON 25 OCTOBER 2011, PRIME NEWS

PAGE A3.

(B) STRAITS TIMES REPORT ON 26 OCTOBER 2011, PAGE B20

1. Singapore Karate-Do Federation (SKF) has on 24 October 2011 responded

accordingly to Straits Times enquiries. (Please see attached our responses

to ST enquiries). As there are conflicting accounts of what occurred, SKF

wishes to state on record certain facts as has been made known to SKF,

but which have been omitted in the Straits Times reports.

2. The National Coach provided an incident report to the executive board

immediately upon his return and SSC had also been notified on 17

October 2011. SKF executive board accepts the accounts from the

national coach and our national athletes.

Singapore Karate-Do Federation Registry of Societies, UEN No. S71SS0055B

Date of Registration: 7th December 1971 Affiliated to:

Singapore National Olympic Council World Karate Federation

Asian Karatedo Federation

c/o 262 Bishan St 22 #B1-287 Singapore 570262 http://www.singaporekarate.org E-mail: ongweiyang@gmail.com

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We wish to point out that certain facts had been omitted in the newspaper

report.

3. The key facts which had been omitted in the report are:

i) The fact that Mr Kelvin Kohl (“Koh”) had been informed of the

withdrawal of his accreditation by WKF at noon before his

encounter with Singapore Team;

ii) The fact that Singapore won the bout against Uzbekistan (reason

why Koh had to "comfort" his team );

iii) The loss of accreditation meant Mr Koh could not enter the

sportsmen arena (confirmed again in ST report dated 26 October

2011, page B20).

iv) There is no medical report confirming any of the alleged injuries

claimed by Koh.

4. If the above information had been included, it will however provide

clarity and understanding to the nature of what is likely to have occurred.

As the accreditation was removed, we believe that he could not have

entered into the area where the sportsmen are, and therefore he could not

have been there by chance.

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5. The SKF has also received evidence that Koh’s contemporaneous account

of the incident and it shows that the details as outlined in the ST report are

exaggerated and therefore likely to be untrue.

Extracted From – Kelvin Koh’s email to WKF VP dated 20 Oct

2011 @0450hrs - we quote verbatim:

“while me walking down from the spectator seat down to the

competition area, David Thong and his son was walking towards

my direction, they didn't give way to me and we hit each other on

their shoulder against my shoulder, and we end up in some scuffles.

but was stop by the Security guard and i am pull away by Mr

Anvar”.

This is his ORIGINAL version. Not the version reported in the

Straits Times. The contrast in the versions by Koh is stunning in

their difference.

6. As the National Sports Association in-charge of the sports of Karate-Do,

the SKF remains committed to maintaining strict standard of conduct and

disciplined for its associates, coaches and athletes so that the sports and its

standing will not be brought to disrepute.

7. It is regrettable that what was (to Koh himself) only a “scuffle” has been

enlarged into something that it is not.

8. Finally, we wish to state that Mr Kelvin Koh and the members of the

karate community contacted by ST in its report dated 26 October 2011, are

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all members of the 7 clubs, which have been dismissed by the SKF. They

are not members of the Singapore Karate Do Federation.

9. We wish to take this opportunity to thank all our partners in sports

including but not limited to SSC, SNOC, PA, AKF, WKF and all

members within our fraternity, on their continuing support and trust in our

conduct and professionalism. We are grateful for your outpouring of

support and belief in us.

Thank you Yours faithfully

Shihan Peter Chong, PBM President