@zac-s-mum
Am a silent reader of the forum but decided to share this experience…
Last year, one day, my DD actually came home and complained to me about why she had to study so hard. DD’s friend in track CCA told DD that she can relax a bit as she WILL be going via DSA to one of the IP schools (DXX) which was mentioned in the latest basketball DSA case in other forums. As long as she score better than AL15 for P5 year end. Seems like the track coaches in their primary school are the same coaches in the IP school and this friend also attends private training with the same running club the coaches are in.
My DD even suggested we do that too. 
I told her we do not have this kind of resources so she should just study hard. At that time, I didn’t think much and treated it like an innocent chit chat between children.
However, after reading the DSA case in the news this week, it really seemed like some sports trials are quite fishy. I think DD’s friend was called up for trials at that IP school a few weeks ago before the case came out in the news.
Sadly like most cases, it is hard to gather evidence. Can only hope that these coaches will honestly declare the conflict of interest required by MOE, and declare that they know the DSA candidates. Maybe even the PE teachers involved in the selection should declare. And hopefully the school does not allow these coaches to have so much power from shortlisting to conducting trials to recommending. Honestly, even if there is no money involved, it is hard for the coach to not choose the child whom they trained for years and go choose someone else.
And it will be very unfair to the kids who are really talented but just don’t happen to be in a primary school with the DSA schools’ coaches.