Singapore's only Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling admitted in August 2022 that he had consumed cannabis while overseas, triggering investigations by the Central Narcotics Bureau and the Ministry of Defence, fines from sporting bodies, and a ban on training or competing for the rest of his national service.
On 30 August 2022, national sports body Sport Singapore revealed that the Central Narcotics Bureau had investigated Schooling and fellow national swimmer Amanda Lim over cannabis consumption at the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi in May 2022. Schooling, who enlisted for full-time national service in January 2022, had been on short-term disruption to train and compete at the Games. Although both athletes' urine tests for controlled drugs came back negative, they confessed to consuming the drug while representing Singapore overseas.
Because Schooling was a full-time serviceman, his case was referred to the Ministry of Defence, which ruled he had abused his disruption privileges. He was barred from taking leave or disruption to train or compete for the remainder of his national service, issued a formal letter of warning, and placed on a supervised urine-testing regime for six months. The ruling meant he would miss the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia and the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The Singapore National Olympic Council fined Schooling $10,000 for breaching its code of conduct, warning he would be banned from competing for two years if caught consuming prohibited drugs again. Amanda Lim, who won silver and gold at the Hanoi Games, was issued a stern warning by the CNB and fined $2,800. A third swimmer, Teong Tzen Wei, admitted to drug use at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines and was fined $3,200. Sport Singapore suspended all support to the trio as carded athletes for one month from 1 October 2022.
Schooling issued a public apology, calling it a moment of weakness after a very tough period in his life. He said he demonstrated bad judgment, took full responsibility, and would make amends. His father had died in November 2021, and his form had slumped since his historic 100m butterfly gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The case divided Singaporeans: many sympathised with the immense pressure on the nation's greatest sporting hero, while others stressed that athletes are role models held to higher standards, especially in a country with some of the world's strictest drug laws, where consumption can draw up to 10 years' jail. Schooling completed his national service in early 2024 and later announced his retirement from competitive swimming, closing the book on a saga that tarnished the final chapter of a legendary career.