(random picture taken from english.people.com.cn)

Women’s football has been rapidly growing and expanding in Singapore over the last few years and to disband the team now would be an insult to the efforts and the love put into this. Who says girl’s can’t kick balls!

A reply from Nazreen Banu, Head of Women’s Football Department, Football Association of Singapore goes

We have not disbanded the women’s national team. As the focus is on improving club competitions, our national players will now be training with their clubs and participating in the Women’s League, instead of training all year round with the national team, as was previously the case.

When there are opportunities to play competitive games with visiting women’s teams, the national team will be assembled.

What this means is…. IF we are sending any female football teams for overseas competitions and qualifiers, we will recall our “national team players at-large” to play for us. Meanwhile, you guys can play football in your own clubs. IF we chose not to send anyone for women’s qualifiers, then TOO BAD?!

This kind of not here not there answer is totally unacceptable. Without any promises, without any form of official team, how do they expect players to be ready for such competitions? Without exposure, funding to play overseas, experience with foreign women’s football teams, how would our players ever be ready for the international stage? This sounds like a very lame answer to cover up the sudden disbandment of Singapore Women’s Football team.

Read the below links for more information.

From the mouth of a Lioness – a former Women’s Football team member

Don’t let Lionesses go out with a whimper

Reply from Head of Women’s Football Department

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I didn’t realise this before, Sabrina noted that some people might have been provoked by me mentioning that Singapore has no free speech. Some, silly people, might even feel that if I am against free speech that I should keep quiet and not voice my opinion.

I understand how the proposition “intolerant against intolerance” might sound ironic and funny, but being able to blog about my opinions does not mean that we have free speech.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Singapore is ranked 141 out of 169 countries in the freedom of press index. If you still don’t believe me, the Singapore opposition politically figures getting jailed and bankrupt should give you some hint. If you still don’t believe me, go blog racist and hate inciting blogs and see if you end up in jail like the 3 other foolish bloggers.

Now that we have established that Singapore does not have much freedom of speech, here’s why my post to call for Shadowfox’s head does not cross that line. My post simply called for a ban of a particular person, like how people can call for ban or unban of chewing gums, gay sex, pornography. It’s merely censorship. The religious people are usually pro censorship because the media’s censorship guideline has been slacking every year, and it reflects on how people’s morals have been more “tolerant” of sex, drugs, vulgarities and violence. I’m sure we don’t really want our children growing up accepting these vices as normal. Yes, perhaps showing too much homosexual themed media might brainwash the next generation that it is ok to be homosexual as well.

If there are still people out there, after reading this post, still think that Singapore has freedom of speech and if Singapore doesn’t that I should shut up, then I guess there’s no other way for me to enlighten you. -sigh-

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