Singapore is a sports weakling because of lack of will, not size

[enterprise2]

After watching the badminton finals between Lin Dan and Malaysia LCW, I was in tears after seeing LCW on the ground after his defeat. He gave everything. This is the kind of athelete that Singapore needs to advance our sports forward.

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Aug 04, 2012

Singapore is a sports weakling because of lack of will, not size

WHILE I offer my unreserved congratulations to paddler Feng Tianwei for doing our country proud with her bronze medal feat in the Olympic women's table tennis competition, my view is that Singapore ought to be striving much harder for sporting success ("Simply Feng-tastic" by Mrs Eunice Ang-Choo Sok Ee; yesterday).

Arguments can be made that we are a tiny nation, and that what we achieved in Beijing 2008 and, now, London 2012 is remarkable.

However, there is a need to be more quantitative and gauge ourselves against countries of similar size.

Let's consider one such quantitative measure - the number of medals based on a country's population.

The top two nations in Beijing 2008 measured by this statistic were the Bahamas and Jamaica.
Remarkably, Jamaica, with a population of 2.7 million, won six gold medals largely because of athletics.

Even if we regard Jamaica as an outlier, Australia, with a population of 21 million in 2008, was ranked fifth in this "normalised" table, grabbing 46 medals of which 14 were gold.

If we were expected to perform as well as Australia in this measure, we should have won 10.3 medals of any colour at the 2008 Olympics.
In fact, another quantitative measure of performance, or key performance indicator, is the medals per gross domestic product.
In this regard, we are 79th out of the 87 countries that won medals in 2008.

We strive to be an economic powerhouse and to excel in every way. But our record in sports has been abysmal.

We are a sporting weakling because of three factors: the collective overemphasis on academic success, the Government's lack of support for promising athletes, and the unwillingness of the Ministry of Defence to grant deferments from national service for male sporting talent in their prime.

We know what the solutions are.
We simply do not have the resolve to do well in sports.

Dr Vincent Tan Yan Fu

 

[Kinana]

After watching the badminton finals between Lin Dan and Malaysia LCW, I was in tears after seeing LCW on the ground after his defeat. He gave everything. This is the kind of athelete that Singapore needs to advance our sports forward.

You touched huh? What did you do for singapore? You gave your all?

 

[soIsee]

You touched huh? What did you do for singapore? You gave your all?

Does hanging the flag during this period , count as giving your ALL?

What do you think? LOL

 

[Kinana]

Does hanging the flag during this period , count as giving your ALL?

What do you think? LOL

did you hang a flag outside your house?

 

[enterprise2]

Sorry never got the chance to represent Singapore in any sports. You??

You touched huh? What did you do for singapore? You gave your all?

 

[Kinana]

Sorry never got the chance to represent Singapore in any sports. You??

Do you need to play sports to do something for Singapore?

 

[I_Hate_Pappies]

Do you need to play sports to do something for Singapore?

Of cos not. I contribute my part by doing your Mother.

 

[Fook Seng]

hello everyone, this is my first post here.

the government is not the solution. private citizens who have the means to, are the solution.

Welcome to the Forum. People like to quote how successful Western powers are in sports through private sponsors. But environmental factors vary country to country. Try something private without the Govt's endorsement. Remember the Marathon issue a couple of years' back. Finally the non-endorsed party had to yield. The Singaporean entrepreneurs' mentality is to suck up to the Govt. Most of these fundings go to support Govt programms.

 

[ThePlen]

Dear Dr Vincent Tan Yan Fu, sinkies have been taught to realise that will does not put food on the table.

 

[scroobal]

Not sure if anyone remembers but the old man in his early years used to make adverse comments about sports and the overall psyche moved away from sports. Teachers no longer volunteered, schools whoch typically as a tradition began to wane. Interestingly RI, the premier academic began to grab medals and dominate the various divions.

Its hard to make a comeback after 40 years of neglect. And contrary to writer's view, I don't they know the solution. MPs now head the various sports bodies so the pool of qualified and passionate sports leaders are limited.

By the way, National Sportsmen do very little but concentrate on sports while doing their NS. Except for BMT, they are given a lot of opportunity and facilities to do their training.

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Aug 04, 2012

We are a sporting weakling because of three factors: the collective overemphasis on academic success, the Government's lack of support for promising athletes, and the unwillingness of the Ministry of Defence to grant deferments from national service for male sporting talent in their prime.

We know what the solutions are.
We simply do not have the resolve to do well in sports.

Dr Vincent Tan Yan Fu

 

[scroobal]

Though I do agree its up to the inidividual to pursue sports and excel in it, there must be a climate of support and recognition. Not sure you recall the long drawn argument that span 2 decades for a velodrome. Here is another point.

hello everyone, this is my first post here.

the problem is we are too used to waiting for the government to fill the void when there is one. if those who have money are willing to sponsor the athletes, much like the rich in the past would patronize artistes, then singapore would have a chance to develop its own olympian champion.

the government is not the solution. private citizens who have the means to, are the solution.

 

[greedy and cunning]

You touched huh? What did you do for singapore? You gave your all?

well he did not gave all , what little balance left was just sufficient for him to survive.

if fact most of us gave almost all.

if not for that how do people get millions of dollars in salary , pension ? how do you get your fat pay ?

what all of you are getting come from the ordinary sinkies.
imagine sinkie has to work for 30/40 years just to pay for a decent home , the basic
necessity of life.
is that not enough for you ? how much more do you all want ?

 

[greedy and cunning]

Do you need to play sports to do something for Singapore?

right , just continue to contribute to your cpf , buy that half million hdb will do nicely. you will be doing a lot.


:*: :*: :*:

 

[tonychat]

After watching the badminton finals between Lin Dan and Malaysia LCW, I was in tears after seeing LCW on the ground after his defeat. He gave everything. This is the kind of athelete that Singapore needs to advance our sports forward.

sinkies can suggest to the Olympic council to create a new event call marathon ass - screwing. SInkies confirmed come out gold after gold. No other country can beat that.

 

[ionzu]

Welcome to the Forum. People like to quote how successful Western powers are in sports through private sponsors. But environmental factors vary country to country. Try something private without the Govt's endorsement. Remember the Marathon issue a couple of years' back. Finally the non-endorsed party had to yield. The Singaporean entrepreneurs' mentality is to suck up to the Govt. Most of these fundings go to support Govt programms.

thank you. i have only just figured out how to track the replies.

i agree it is difficult. but it is not impossible. too often we ask, whether the chicken or the egg came first. i believe we should break the egg and put and end to that question.

 

[Sir_Fcuk]

By the way, National Sportsmen do very little but concentrate on sports while doing their NS. Except for BMT, they are given a lot of opportunity and facilities to do their training.

That said, the majority of mothers in Singapore will rather send their children to tuition classes and retarded little mozart lessons, than sweat and blood training.

Our climate also too cock to train in certain sports, maybe ah-kua indoor sports like ping pong still can

 

[laksaboy]

Here's Usain Bolt in an ad promoting Jamaican tourism.

[video=youtube;Ui84vMGusz8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui84vMGusz8[/video]

 

[Cruxx]

That said, the majority of mothers in Singapore will rather send their children to tuition classes and retarded little mozart lessons, than sweat and blood training.

Our climate also too cock to train in certain sports, maybe ah-kua indoor sports like ping pong still can

So how many world-renowned pianists have Sinkieland produced?

 

[tonychat]

So how many world-renowned pianists have Sinkieland produced?

hey sinkie, you sound like boss.. are you samboss clone.

 

[laksaboy]

That said, the majority of mothers in Singapore will rather send their children to tuition classes and retarded little mozart lessons, than sweat and blood training.

Our climate also too cock to train in certain sports, maybe ah-kua indoor sports like ping pong still can

Don't blame the climate. Jamaica also hot, tropical climate.

Many Sinkies see a little sunshine and avoid it like the plague. Especially the Sinkie women who use an umbrella when it's sunny and not raining, thinking that'll help prevent lao ren ban from coming out. LOL!

Conversely, many Sinkies see a little dark clouds on the horizon and don't want to go for a run. You finally got your cool weather, and you still prefer to be a couch potato.

When they're running, a lot of them are playing with their smartphones. And ladies, you aren't going to get the cellulite off with that slow pace. You might as well stay at home and do your shitty hot yoga/pilates than get outside for a pseudo-run.