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Mar 30, 2010
Stick with growing local talent for strong, lasting sports culture
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I WAS disappointed by Mr Michael Loh's suggestion that a potential team of permanent residents from Kazakhstan - Asia's top team - could help us qualify for the Winter Olympics ('Ice hockey team's Olympic dream not impossible', March 14).
Countries participating in the Olympics can field only their citizens. Quasi-citizens are not allowed to compete.
Even if we had convinced a group of Kazakh players to ditch their original citizenship and become naturalised Singaporeans, their chances of winning a medal would be slim.
No country outside the Super Six group (Canada, Russia, Sweden, the United States, Czech Republic and Finland) has won a medal since 1980, and there is no evidence to suggest this trend will end in the near future.
Italy naturalised eight Canadians and two Americans to compete in its ice hockey team at the 2006 Turin Games. Yet it failed to win a single match and finished second last. Rather than plump for the improbable, our national endeavour should aim at cultivating a strong and lasting Singaporean sports culture, one that helps to promote nation building.
Success derived from primarily naturalising foreign athletes will not become a potent force in defining and sustaining the Singaporean identity.
We should focus on building a strong foundation by expanding and strengthening our base of local talent, even if this means success will come only many years down the road.
Michael Ang
Stick with growing local talent for strong, lasting sports culture
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I WAS disappointed by Mr Michael Loh's suggestion that a potential team of permanent residents from Kazakhstan - Asia's top team - could help us qualify for the Winter Olympics ('Ice hockey team's Olympic dream not impossible', March 14).
Countries participating in the Olympics can field only their citizens. Quasi-citizens are not allowed to compete.
Even if we had convinced a group of Kazakh players to ditch their original citizenship and become naturalised Singaporeans, their chances of winning a medal would be slim.
No country outside the Super Six group (Canada, Russia, Sweden, the United States, Czech Republic and Finland) has won a medal since 1980, and there is no evidence to suggest this trend will end in the near future.
Italy naturalised eight Canadians and two Americans to compete in its ice hockey team at the 2006 Turin Games. Yet it failed to win a single match and finished second last. Rather than plump for the improbable, our national endeavour should aim at cultivating a strong and lasting Singaporean sports culture, one that helps to promote nation building.
Success derived from primarily naturalising foreign athletes will not become a potent force in defining and sustaining the Singaporean identity.
We should focus on building a strong foundation by expanding and strengthening our base of local talent, even if this means success will come only many years down the road.
Michael Ang
