<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sep 1, 2009
PICKING SEA GAMES ATHLETES
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Time for a mindset change
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->ALMOST every year, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) trots out the same reasons for not selecting teams or athletes in multi-sport games like the South-east Asia (SEA) Games because these athletes do not meet the qualifying time or attain a certain position ('Raising the bar', last Saturday).
The insistence on sending only teams with a chance to win is unhealthy and unsportsmanlike. If every nation stressed similar importance on winning, there would be no competitions to speak of.
If a future result is based purely on a past performance or qualifying mark - the perennial reasons SNOC trots out for selection or rejection - the selectors might as well recommend those benchmarks and past results be used to award medals with no competition required.
SNOC has the final say as to which sport can take part in multi-sport games because it funds the travel and living expenses of the Singapore contingent.
If Singapore wants to encourage sports and participation, any sport that is included in the Games menu should be allowed to participate.
The national sports associations could pay their expenses and claim reimbursements based on their medals won. Such an arrangement would not burden SNOC with costs and allow more Singaporean athletes to gain exposure, especially at the SEA Games which are held close to home.
SNOC must also address three other issues:
First, why should a young Singaporean be disadvantaged because he has not chosen an Olympic sport? Because of such over-emphasis by major sports excellence bodies like SNOC, more than half the other sports played in Singapore must take a back seat.
Why should a promising athlete whose sport is not on the Olympic programme not be given the same opportunities or funding as one who chooses an Olympic sport?
Second, why does Singapore focus on sports in which Asians, with their smaller build, are at a disadvantage? Singapore should be humble and focus on sports which fit the Singaporean or Asian physique.
Third, why do we not brand ourselves in niche sports where we can excel? Producing individual world champions is already a major challenge, let alone putting a football team together.
Ignatius Leong
PICKING SEA GAMES ATHLETES
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Time for a mindset change
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->ALMOST every year, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) trots out the same reasons for not selecting teams or athletes in multi-sport games like the South-east Asia (SEA) Games because these athletes do not meet the qualifying time or attain a certain position ('Raising the bar', last Saturday).
The insistence on sending only teams with a chance to win is unhealthy and unsportsmanlike. If every nation stressed similar importance on winning, there would be no competitions to speak of.
If a future result is based purely on a past performance or qualifying mark - the perennial reasons SNOC trots out for selection or rejection - the selectors might as well recommend those benchmarks and past results be used to award medals with no competition required.
SNOC has the final say as to which sport can take part in multi-sport games because it funds the travel and living expenses of the Singapore contingent.
If Singapore wants to encourage sports and participation, any sport that is included in the Games menu should be allowed to participate.
The national sports associations could pay their expenses and claim reimbursements based on their medals won. Such an arrangement would not burden SNOC with costs and allow more Singaporean athletes to gain exposure, especially at the SEA Games which are held close to home.
SNOC must also address three other issues:
First, why should a young Singaporean be disadvantaged because he has not chosen an Olympic sport? Because of such over-emphasis by major sports excellence bodies like SNOC, more than half the other sports played in Singapore must take a back seat.
Why should a promising athlete whose sport is not on the Olympic programme not be given the same opportunities or funding as one who chooses an Olympic sport?
Second, why does Singapore focus on sports in which Asians, with their smaller build, are at a disadvantage? Singapore should be humble and focus on sports which fit the Singaporean or Asian physique.
Third, why do we not brand ourselves in niche sports where we can excel? Producing individual world champions is already a major challenge, let alone putting a football team together.
Ignatius Leong
