Hard Tackle

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and Singapore referee Muhammad Taqi Jahari discuss his journey in officiating, milestones and sacrifices along the way, and what he is looking forward to at the Qatar World Cup (Nov 20-Dec 18). Highlights (click/tap above): 1:17...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and assistant sports editor Jonathan Wong chat with Formula One chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali, who is in town for the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix which makes its return after two years. Domenicali discusses the Singap...

Synopsis: This ST video livestream was hosted by Cheow Sue-Ann on Sept 16. One of the most legendary careers in sports is coming to an end as tennis icon Roger Federer announced he will retire after the Laver Cup in London. In a statement released on social media, 41-year-old Federer cites age and recurring injuries as the reasons for his decision. Assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath weighs in...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and reporter Laura Chia talk to Singapore’s most-capped netball player Charmaine Soh, who returns to international action at the Asian Netball Championships at the OCBC Arena. Soh, 29, talks about the decision to work her way ba...

Synopsis: This ST video livestream was hosted by Cheow Sue-Ann on Aug 31. In the aftermath of Joseph Schooling's confession to having consumed cannabis overseas, netizens have had mixed responses - with some questioning if the Olympic gold medallist has been treated fairly. ST journalist Jean Lau talks about the penalties when one is caught consuming drugs overseas. She also discusses if Schooling...

Synopsis: This ST video livestream was hosted by Lynlee Foo on Aug 31. Singapore's first and only Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling has confessed to consuming cannabis in Hanoi in May 2022, while he was on short-term disruption from full-time national service. The Straits Times' Deepanraj Ganesan and Rohit Brijnath speak with host Lynlee Foo about what might have happened and whether Singapo...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz welcomes mixed martial arts (MMA) star Demetrious Johnson into the studio as he prepares to challenge Adriano Moraes for his One Championship flyweight world title bout at the One on Prime 1 event, at 8am, on 27 Aug. The man kno...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with reporter Deepanraj Ganesan and ST’s English Premier League columnist John Brewin on takeaways from the opening weekend of action in the 22/23 season, and what lies ahead. They talk leading contenders, dark horses, ear...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in Singapore sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with Billy Hogan, the chief executive officer of English football giants Liverpool, who was in town when the Reds played the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy exhibition match with Crystal Palace. On the eve of...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in Singapore sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent David Lee chats with local sports administrator Mark Chay about why he wants to be Singapore Swimming Association's new president despite his burgeoning portfolio. Not only has he been a former national swimmer, swim club director, and...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in Singapore sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent David Lee chats with former Valencia president Anil Murthy about his highs and lows running the Spanish football club. The Singaporean was Valencia president for five out of the eight tumultuous seasons under Singaporean tycoon Peter Li...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles the talking points in Singapore sport. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with national swimmer Teong Tzen Wei about his recent milestones in the pool. Teong, 24, talks about becoming only the third Singaporean man to race in the final of a World Championships, becoming the only South-...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles Singapore's national sports talking points. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White about the UFC 275 event in Singapore, which fights excite him most, and the UFC's plans to reach and develop talent in previously uncharted terr...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles Singapore's national sports talking points. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with former top national boxer Muhamad Ridhwan about his new role as co-coach of the national boxing squad, as it aims for improvement at the Cambodia SEA Games taking place in May 2023. Ridhwan also talks a...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles Singapore's national sports talking points. In this episode, the ST sports desk quartet of Sazali Abdul Aziz, Kimberly Kwek, Laura Chia and Deepanraj Ganesan review the Hanoi SEA Games from the Vietnamese capital, where Team Singapore won a good share of the medals that were on offer - with 47 gold, 46 silver and 7...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times tackles Singapore's national sports talking points. In this episode, SEA Games-bound ST sports desk quartet Sazali Abdul Aziz, Kimberly Kwek, Laura Chia and Deepanraj Ganesan share their thoughts on how Team Singapore will fare at the May 12-23 regional multi-sport competition. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:49 Is a medal...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, ST sports correspondents Sazali Abdul Aziz and David Lee discuss two coaching appointments which have gotten local football fans talking recently. Takayuki Nishigaya was named the new Singapore national team head coach on April 25, with the Football Association of Singapore's appointment courting cr...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with national pencak silat exponent Sheik Farhan, who is the flagbearer for the Team Singapore contingent for the May 12-23 SEA Games in Hanoi. He talks about the honour of being picked, what the SEA Games means to him, his targets in Hanoi, and his jo...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens general manager Steven Rodaway. Rodaway shares about the challenges he and his team had to overcome to ensure the April 9-10 tournament would even take place, and how they aim to pull off being the first sporting event...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles Singapore's national sports talking points. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with former Fifa referee and two-time S-League referee of the year Abas Daud. Abas shares stories from his refereeing career - from the highs of sharing a pitch with world-class players like Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez to the lows of fleeing free-for-a...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles Singapore's national sports talking points. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with Chatri Sityodtong, the chief executive officer and founder of mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation One Championship. Chatri talks about the One: X event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on March 26 - one of its biggest cards ever - and the fight he l...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. On this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan chat with their guest, former national defender Baihakki Khaizan, about the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season which kicks off on Feb 25. They talk about favourites Lion City Sailors and what could steer them off...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. Tennis fever hit Singapore recently, with US Open champion Emma Raducanu drawing crowds at Tanglin Club during a stopover in the Lion City after her exit at the Australian Open, where Rafael Nadal's inspirational comeback win in the men's singles final Down Under also caught the imagination of many. National tennis...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with Manchester United and Denmark legend Peter Schmeichel to discuss the evolution of the role of the goalkeeper in football. The Great Dane also shares a little bit about his approach to the position which made him one of the greatest of all time in...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. The national team galvanised football fans with their never-say-die spirit even as they went down to a 5-3 aggregate defeat by Indonesia in the semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup. But less than 72 hours later came the bombshell: their coach, Tatsuma Yoshida, was leaving a year before his contract was due, to be close...