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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - FT swimmer wants $$$</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>teh_si <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Nov-8 3:47 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 15) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>24008.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>ST, 8 Nov 09
Reward scheme
SSA plans to start one, following Tao Li's comments of its lack of support for her <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lin Xinyi
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) is aiming to come out with its own reward scheme to recognise the efforts of its athletes.
But the national body's focus will remain on preparing its swimmers for major Games.
Its secretary-general Oon Jin Gee said this yesterday in light of recent comments made by national swimmer Tao Li.
The 19-year-old had expressed her disappointment with the SSA in a column in Lianhe Zaobao on Monday, stating its lack of support and encouragement towards her.
'If we can raise enough funds, we can have our own rewards scheme,' said Oon. 'But the reality is that we also have to be mindful of the economic climate.'
Currently, athletes receive monetary awards through the Singapore National Olympic Council's Multi-Million-Dollar Award Programme (MAP) when they win medals at major Games.
Tao Li had set the Asian record of 57.54 seconds in the 100m butterfly semi-finals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She went on to finish fifth in the final.
While that result would not have entitled her to a reward under the MAP, she felt that her achievements have not been recognised by the SSA.
'When I look at other sports like sailing or bowling, their athletes are rewarded for good performances, and are welcomed home at the airport,' said Tao Li in a phone interview from Russia, where she had qualified for the women's 50m butterfly final in the Moscow leg of the Fina/Arena Swimming World Cup.
'They have not acknowledged my Asian record. The least they can do is to give me a certificate. Surely they have the resources to buy one piece of paper.'
Responding to the matter, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Transport), told Lianhe Zaobao that national sports associations need to listen to their athletes and support them as much as they can.
But this does not mean that athletes would always have their way, he added. Instead, athlete and association should engage in dialogue to better understand each other's expectations.
Oon said that the SSA has tried to support Tao Li as best as it could within its resources, and will continue to do so.
He said: 'The high performance team will continue to have dialogue with her coach and club to find out her training needs, targets and expectations.'
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Reward scheme
SSA plans to start one, following Tao Li's comments of its lack of support for her <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lin Xinyi
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) is aiming to come out with its own reward scheme to recognise the efforts of its athletes.
But the national body's focus will remain on preparing its swimmers for major Games.
Its secretary-general Oon Jin Gee said this yesterday in light of recent comments made by national swimmer Tao Li.
The 19-year-old had expressed her disappointment with the SSA in a column in Lianhe Zaobao on Monday, stating its lack of support and encouragement towards her.
'If we can raise enough funds, we can have our own rewards scheme,' said Oon. 'But the reality is that we also have to be mindful of the economic climate.'
Currently, athletes receive monetary awards through the Singapore National Olympic Council's Multi-Million-Dollar Award Programme (MAP) when they win medals at major Games.
Tao Li had set the Asian record of 57.54 seconds in the 100m butterfly semi-finals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She went on to finish fifth in the final.
While that result would not have entitled her to a reward under the MAP, she felt that her achievements have not been recognised by the SSA.
'When I look at other sports like sailing or bowling, their athletes are rewarded for good performances, and are welcomed home at the airport,' said Tao Li in a phone interview from Russia, where she had qualified for the women's 50m butterfly final in the Moscow leg of the Fina/Arena Swimming World Cup.
'They have not acknowledged my Asian record. The least they can do is to give me a certificate. Surely they have the resources to buy one piece of paper.'
Responding to the matter, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Transport), told Lianhe Zaobao that national sports associations need to listen to their athletes and support them as much as they can.
But this does not mean that athletes would always have their way, he added. Instead, athlete and association should engage in dialogue to better understand each other's expectations.
Oon said that the SSA has tried to support Tao Li as best as it could within its resources, and will continue to do so.
He said: 'The high performance team will continue to have dialogue with her coach and club to find out her training needs, targets and expectations.'
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
