Nov 20, 2009
Historic omission
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Aleksandar Duric (No. 9 jersey) celebrates his goal with team mates (from left) Shaiful Esah, Shahril Ishak and Ridhuan Muhamad. -- PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN
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Historic omission
'A live telecast of soccer matches involving the national team should be a given.'
MR TAN SHAO KEN: 'Singapore scored a historic soccer victory on Wednesday night when the Lions upset Thailand 1-0 in Bangkok, a feat last achieved 34 years ago. Yet, Singaporeans were blanked out of this dramatic tussle between two of Asean's enduring football rivals because MediaCorp refused to telecast the match live. MediaCorp's decision underscores the institutional problem that is hugely responsible for a lack of support for the national team. How can we encourage and instil the passion to support the national team if such a vital conduit like live telecasts is closed to the public and made available fitfully or on the spur of the moment? A live telecast of soccer matches involving the national soccer team, especially at venues abroad, in official competitions should be a given, regardless of whether the team is in a tournament's qualifying or final stages. Let us hope that MediaCorp and the Football Association of Singapore will ensure such fundamental lapses do not happen again.'
Historic omission
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar -->
<!-- story content : start -->
Historic omission
'A live telecast of soccer matches involving the national team should be a given.'
MR TAN SHAO KEN: 'Singapore scored a historic soccer victory on Wednesday night when the Lions upset Thailand 1-0 in Bangkok, a feat last achieved 34 years ago. Yet, Singaporeans were blanked out of this dramatic tussle between two of Asean's enduring football rivals because MediaCorp refused to telecast the match live. MediaCorp's decision underscores the institutional problem that is hugely responsible for a lack of support for the national team. How can we encourage and instil the passion to support the national team if such a vital conduit like live telecasts is closed to the public and made available fitfully or on the spur of the moment? A live telecast of soccer matches involving the national soccer team, especially at venues abroad, in official competitions should be a given, regardless of whether the team is in a tournament's qualifying or final stages. Let us hope that MediaCorp and the Football Association of Singapore will ensure such fundamental lapses do not happen again.'