$180,000 Crowdfunding Appeal - Help Me Win This Case

UPDATE 20/10/21: $80,000 raised from 596 donors so far. Thank you!

Friends and supporters, I ask you for a favour.

You know me as an athlete, you know me as a friend, you know me as a person. You know that I stand for what’s right, I speak out against lies, and I fight against bullies. Facing greater odds has never intimidated me, be in the competition arena against traditional powerhouses at the SEA Games, or dealing with the bullies and bureaucrats ruining our local sports ecosystem back home.

Sometimes that puts me in a tough spot, but I’ve always soldiered on, become stronger, and found greater success.

Last week I was put in one of the toughest spots you might have ever seen me in. Ashley Liew’s defamation suit was successful in the District Court, with Judge Lee Li Choon ruling that I had failed to convince her that my statements on Ashley’s purported Act of Fair Play in 2015 were true in substance and in fact. She ordered for me to pay Ashley $180,000 in damages as a “consolation to (Ashley) for the distress caused”, to “repair the harm to (Ashley)’s reputation”, and so Ashley can “point to the award of damages to show he was untruthfully accused by (me)”.

Extract from Judge Lee Li Choon’s verdict

Needless to say, I disagree with the verdict. After speaking with a number of legal experts, both from within and outside my legal team, we believe that we have strong grounds for a successful appeal.

News reports on the case have almost entirely left out the main points we raised in closing arguments. Read our closing arguments, and you will understand the strengths of our case.

Netizens have also chimed in with their analysis on the judgement, raising interesting points that the mainstream media did not cover:

https://www.facebook.com/Judges-Verdict-On-Runsohfast-Case-102824132166698/

https://www.facebook.com/yee.reuben/posts/4380825745320421

https://www.facebook.com/yee.reuben/posts/4381149401954722

Despite my position that we will be lodging an appeal, Ashley’s lawyers have demanded for the $180,000 to be paid immediately. They are also seeking legal costs for work done.

I’ll be honest and say that I don’t have the money on hand. I need your help.

If you are keen to help, please PayLah!/PayNow me at 81012093.

Or, you can send me a bank transfer to:

Soh Rui Yong

DBS

188-15744-0

You can also PayPal me at: https://paypal.me/runsohfast

I will keep a spreadsheet with the details of everybody that has contributed to the cause, and keep you updated. In the event that we completely overturn the verdict on appeal, I will pay every single one of you back.

You know me as an athlete, a friend, and a person. You know what I stand for. Integrity and truth are values I will champion for no matter the odds I face. This is a long race, and this time, I can’t do it alone. Please help me get to the finish line.

Thank you!

Crowdfunding

PayLah!/PayNow: 81012093

Bank Transfer: DBS 188-15744-0

PayPal: https://paypal.me/runsohfast

-RY