Fake Info: Unbelievable Story about Cambodian Won Silver Medal in World Swimming Championship 2014, published by Phnom Penh Post Newspaper

Swimmers splashed with cash after Qatar

Phnom Penh Post Newspaper

Fri, 15 August 2014

Yeun Ponlok

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/sport/swimmers-splashed-cash-after-qatar

National team swimmers were yesterday rewarded for their exploits in June’s 12th FINA World Swimming Championship, which was held in Qatar, with cash prizes donated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.

During a ceremony at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia headquarters presided over by the Ministry’s Sports Club chief Chea Bunheng, female silver medalist Nen Somaly and male teammate Cheng Sopha, who came fourth in Qatar, collected $300 and $150 respectively, while coach Hem Kiry received $200.

“I and my fellow team-mates really appreciate the prizes from Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, who always cares about us, and we pledge to make our results even better at [future competitions].”

Comments from Aquatics Cambodia:

I almost, became falling down from my chair, when I read, in your article, Mr. Ponlok, that " female silver medalist Nen Somaly and male teammate Cheng Sopha, who came fourth in Qatar..." Do you want to say, that one Cambodian swimmer won silver medal and one more became number 4 in FINA World Swimming Championships 2014 in Qatar?????? Who has told to you, such exciting news? Mr. Kiry? And, in what distances, what strokes, they made such unbelievable achievements? I am so wondering, because, according what I know, no any swimmer ever, from South-East Asia, including Cambodia, won any kind of medal, in Swimming World Championships!!!!! I will send, copy of Phnom Penh Post Newspaper, with this article, to FINA head office, as maybe they are not aware there, about such brilliant achievements! Now, if speaking about exact, facts and figures, no swimmer Nen Somaly, no swimmer Cheng Sopha - never swam, in any World Championships, including FINA World Championships 2014 in Qatar!!! Who told to you, that they swam there and one of them won silver and another was number 4? Don't you know, how to check info, before you start to write, an article? In reality, among 3 Cambodian swimmers, who participated in WC in Qatar, was Mr. THOEUN Thol who was the best by results among the others, as he made new National Record in 50 Backstroke where he was number 92 and he swam 50 freestyle with his personal best time and was number 138 in that distance, with 2nd Cambodian swimmer HEM Thonponloeu was only 157. Among other two swimmers, was HEMTHON Vitiny who was number 68 in 50 backstroke and number 115 in 50 freestyle and her relative HEM Thonponloeu, who besides 50 freestyle swam 50 breaststroke where he was number 88.

I really, cannot believe my eyes, to read such a nonsense from such a newspaper as Phnom Penh Post is it!!! The oldest English language newspaper in Cambodia! Managed by foreigners! Unbelievable!!!! Do you seriously think, that nobody ever would notice, such a nonsense, published in your newspaper?

P.S. What is amazing, when I wanted to check, my comments, I put in Phnom Penh Newspaper website yesterday, concerning this article, I could not do it! Because - "Access denied. You are not authorized to access this page." And, same result shown, for another article I commented, written by the same reporter, where I mentioned, about mistakes with club's name and school's name for our club's swimmer. What can I say - just amazing!

Vladimir Y. Maximov, Esq

28 May, Phnom Penh

Afterwards: 

What is really amazing - a year has passed since Phnom Penh Post Newspaper published such a nonsense article but nobody even have put any comment about it! In the whole Cambodian history of participation in World Championships in Olympic disciplines, not only in swimming sport, but in all other Olympic sports - never, any Cambodian won a medal! There were medals in Asian Games, of course there were medals in SEA Games, even, one medal in Youth Olympic Games, but never, ever, a medal won yet, in World Championships for Olympic sports. But, a local correspondent writes, such a nonsense, and, Phnom Penh Post Newspaper publishes it, even, the article, supposed to be seen, before publishing, at least by one editor, yes or no? But, it goes through all procedures - means that this newspaper sport editor and other editors that time simply had zero knowledge about sport development and sport history in Cambodia. Amazing!