Eric Chua, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), assured that the government is continuously scaling up support and resources for athletes and para-athletes.

At the same time, Chua pointed out that Singapore should focus on developing the sports ecosystem and support system to realise athletes' full potential instead of fixating on clinching medals.

He added that everyone has a role to play in supporting local athletes, not just the government.

Chua spoke in Parliament on Jul. 6, 2023, to express his opinion on the motion filed by the Workers' Party to evaluate Singapore's sporting ecosystem.

Not all about winning

Chua said that while winning is important in Sports, Singapore must also recognise that competing with countries with large populations is not easy.

He believes that the focus should also be redirected to developing the sports ecosystem and support system to realise an athlete's full potential — a journey that may span eight to 12 years.

Singapore is currently using the Sports Policy Factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS) model to review its existing high-performance infrastructure, identify gaps, and determine priorities for infrastructure development on a sport-by-sport basis.

It is an international benchmark study focusing on key components forming successful sports ecosystems.

Chua shared that at the recent South East Asian (SEA) Games, Singapore athletes won 51 Golds, 43 Silvers, and 64 Bronzes. In addition, there were eight Games records, 17 national records, and 40 personal bests.

"These are powerful testimonies of our athletes striving to be the best sporting versions of themselves. After all, it's not all just about winning," Chua said.

He also highlighted that these achievements were only possible due to the strong support behind Team Singapore athletes — mainly from families, friends, coaches, Sports Associations & Councils, and fans who constantly cheered the athletes.

Journeying with our athletes

Chua then illustrated the support that Singapore offers athletes in the different stages of their lives through the lens of a hypothetical young boy named Samuel.

The illustration highlights the government has a robust High-Performance Sports (HPS) philosophy and ecosystem, made possible through investments made over the years.

In Chua's illustration, Samuel became an aspiring Olympian with the nation's weight on his shoulder, while his performance was scathingly scrutinised in social media. Unnecessary speculations and judgement online played a part in shaking Samuel's morale.

Chua revealed that Samuel's situation at this point mirrors the life of Singapore's badminton player Loh Kean Yew. He shared that he checked in on Loh's mental state and well-being while meeting the athlete in June.

It became apparent from the conversation that Loh was acutely aware of the country's expectations on his shoulders.

"I raise this today in the hope that all of us can be more sensitive, more supportive," Chua said. "Let us not forget that it is not all about medals. But rather, about journeying with our athletes as they work through their struggles in realising their maximal potential."

Increasing support for athletes and para-athletes

Chua said that the government will continue to review the Sports Excellence (spex) Framework, hoping that more "Samuels" will come.

These continued reviews include facilitating access to gym facilities, sports psychologists, and training and competition facilities for athletes in emerging niche sports.

There will also be increased support for current and upcoming generations of para-athletes, including expanding inclusive facilities. SportsSG currently has eight inclusive ActiveSG gyms and will be making all 27 gyms inclusive by 2026.

To further scale up their support, the government will embark on an Update of the Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP), aiming to share the results of their update next year and the steps they will take to make sports more inclusive.

Everyone has a role in supporting local athletes

Chua added that everyone has a role in supporting local athletes, not just the government.

"It takes a village to raise an athlete – and I sincerely hope that as a nation, we can continue to grow this village.

I thus urge all of us to use our platforms to be cheerleaders for our athletes whether they win or lose."

Chua then called on the corporates and suggested two ways they could support athletes.

The first way is to support athletes financially, which could be made through donations to One Team Singapore Fun (OTSF). The donations will be directed to enhance athletes' training environments and increase competition opportunities.

The second way is to join the spexBusiness network to support current and former TeamSG athletes in pursuing meaningful careers while balancing their sporting commitments.

As Chua concluded his speech, he appealed for all Singaporeans to be involved in sports to better understand the challenges faced by local athletes.

"I just want to assure members of this house that you know we are always improving the system, and we welcome all Singaporeans to support us in this journey because this journey in creating sporting success needs partnerships."

Top image via MCI/YouTube.