Woon Sui Kut Explained

Woon Sui Kut
温瑞吉
Birth Date:31 May 1929
Death Place:Singapore
Occupation:Sports Official (Swimming)
Years Active:1964 - 2013
Awards:1998: Trophy for Sports Ethics, International Olympic Committee

Woon Sui Kut (Simplified Chinese: 温瑞吉; Pinyin: Wēn Ruì Jí) was one of Singapore's longest-serving veteran swimming officials and a known figure in the international sporting arena. He was formerly a teacher at Victoria School.

Woon had officiated in numerous swimming events, including 10 Olympics swimming events in his lifetime. Woon served as the Secretary-General of the Singapore Swimming Association from 1964 - 1999, and as Vice-President of the Asian Swimming Federation (AASF), and a member of the international swimming body, Fédération Internationale de Natation['' ([[FINA]]).[1] He was also known in the local swimming fraternity as "the Father of Swimming, Technical Officiating, Life Saving, Diving and Water Polo"[2]

He was removed as an official from the 2004 Summer Olympics after signing off on a judge's report that failed to provide a reason for the disqualification of Aaron Peirsol in the 200 metre backstroke final.[3]

Woon died at Changi General Hospital on 21 December 2013, at 4.34pm. He had died from complications after a fall at home a day before, and four days after returning from his officiating work at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

Notes and References

  1. News: Chen. Fabius. Veteran swimming official dies after fall. Straits Times. 22 Dec 2013. 45.
  2. Web site: Senior Singapore Swimming Official Woon Sui Kut Passes Away Peacefully. 23 Dec 2013. 27 Dec 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131227104119/http://www.swimming.org.sg/news/Latest_News/Senior_Singapore_Swimming_Official_Woon_Sui_Kut_Passes_Away_Peacefully_s2_p18184.htm. 27 December 2013. dead.
  3. News: Three swimming judges kicked out of Games . Times Online . Jenny Booth . 20 August 2004 . 13 July 2021.