Singapore’s sports destiny in trio’s hands
By Philip Goh, TODAY |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 0617 hrs
SINGAPORE: With a S$1.33 billion Sports Hub slated to be prepared by Apr 2014, a charge of charting Singapore’s sporting destiny will take on larger urgency.
Apart from ensuring Singapore athletes strech a customary fitting of a world-class facility, a Republic’s tip sports administrators will also have to scour for ideas to energise a internal sporting scene, and make Singaporeans tumble in adore with sports again.
Before apropos authority of a Singapore Sports Council (SSC) final October, Richard Seow was improved famous as a sprinting prodigy, and a nation’s fastest schoolboy in a late ’70s.
Brigadier-General (NS) Lim Teck Yin started his reign as a arch executive of a SSC in Apr and a former inhabitant H2O polo star’s certification embody 6 SEA Games bullion medals and an Asian Games bronze in 1986.
Completing a triumvirate was Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, who was allocated Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) following a General Election in May.
Together, a contingent enjoyed a solid start as they essay to move Singapore competition to a subsequent level.
Compared to final year, when a Republic hosted a initial Youth Olympic Games and had successful outings during a Commonwealth and Asian Games, this year has not been as mad yet no reduction an critical year for sports.
Apart from promulgation one of a bigger contingents to a biennial SEA Games – that yielded 160 medals, of that 42 were bullion – a Republic also hosted a Netball and Canoe Marathon World Championships, as good as a Volkswagen Women’s Table Tennis World Cup.
The SingTel Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix night race, no doubt, continues to be a “jewel” in a annual Formula 1 calendar.
Attracting bigger and improved general sporting events to a Lion City will continue to be one of a pivotal remits for these administrators as Singapore aims to concrete itself as a region’s premier sports hub.
Judging from a far-reaching accumulation of sporting events in Singapore over a past 12 months – these embody impassioned sailing, powerboats, women’s tennis exhibition, an general basketball diversion between Australia and China, as good as a revisit of football legends Pele and Eric Cantona to foster a New York Cosmos – there is positively no necessity of parties penetrating to woo Singapore.
Former Singapore general footballer R Sasikumar feels it is critical that Chan, Seow and Lim pronounce to private promoters to find out what they have in mind.
As conduct of sports selling association Red Card, Sasikumar partnered a Football Association of Singapore to organize a Canon Lion City Cup 2011 that saw Singapore’s under-15 and under-16 teams take on girl teams from Juventus, Flamengo, Everton and Newcastle.
“Perhaps a SSC can take some-more risks with sports that Singaporeans are reduction informed with,” pronounced Sasikumar. “They can also assistance to grow a attention by creation their venues some-more affordable or cruise underwriting a let cost.”
Financing is also a pivotal emanate that Annabel Pennefather, boss of a Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF), hopes a MCYS and a SSC can assistance address.
“2012 could be a large year for us as we have been approached by a FIH (hockey’s ruling body) to horde a launch eventuality for their new initiative, a World Hockey League, that is set to be their new subordinate track for destiny World Cups and Olympics,” pronounced Pennefather.
According to Pennefather, a SHF are incompetent to dedicate to hosting a 12-team eventuality (six any from group and women) scheduled for subsequent Aug due to doubt in funding.
“We did ask a SSC for assistance and were told to design a answer in February,” she said.
“In a meantime, we have concluded to reason a Asian Hockey Federation Cup for women subsequent year that will cost during slightest S$100,000, with a cost of employing a Sengkang Hockey Stadium from a SSC holding adult a bulk of a cost.”
Nine months ago, former inhabitant soldier Koh Seng Leong, who competed during a 2000 Sydney and 2008 Beijing Olympics, switched to shooting.
Aiming to enclose Singapore colours as a trap shooter, a 28-year-old has been training 5 times a week, with a Singapore Shooting Association subsidising his training costs.
Recently behind from a self-funded outing to a Thailand Open, Koh is wakeful he will need some-more bearing to abroad competitions to continue his growth as a shooter. But but appropriation assistance, he will not be means to means those trips, while a usually approach to get appropriation is to uncover results.
It is a maze that he hopes can be addressed by a nation’s sports administrators.
“I wish a SSC will demeanour into a emanate of how to brand talent and allot appropriation to rise them, and recognize that athletes need a small assistance before they can start display some results,” pronounced Koh.
As for Singapore Rugby Union boss Low Teo Ping, he sees a some-more active purpose for SSC’s Seow and Lim.
“The SSC needs to turn some-more active and reduction reactive,” pronounced Low. “Sports is about participation, high opening and a business of entertainment. The SSC should be a heading group and be some-more eccentric in moulding a instruction for sports in Singapore.” – TODAY
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Tags: Singapore