David Neo explains why no cash incentives for SEA Games silver & bronze, encourages more sponsors to support athletes

Sengkang MP Louis Chua asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo if the government is aware of when the last review of the Major Games Award Programme (MAP) occurred.

Chua also asked whether the ministry will work with the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) to update cash incentives under the programme, given inflation, and to provide incentives for SEA Games silver and bronze medallists.

In a written reply, Neo highlighted how the government directly invests in the development of athletes, including the Sport Excellence initiatives, and invests in building up support services needed by athletes, such as "dedicated funding for sport science and sport medicine, coaches, athlete life services and sporting infrastructure".

Neo said the government is committed to sustaining investment in developing athletes to their full potential, and that such support was not "conditional only on winning medals".

With regard to the MAP, Neo noted that it is a private award scheme managed by the SNOC and funded by their sponsors.

He said SNOC reviews the scheme periodically and decides on the categories of awarded medallists and the monetary rewards offered to each of them, in consultation with sponsors:

"The MAP award structure takes into account the level of competition and the frequency of the Major Games. The Olympic, Commonwealth and Asian Games have more competitive fields and take place every four years, compared to the SEA Games that takes place every two years."

He then encouraged more corporates and sponsors to come forward to support athletes and contribute to the MAP.

Image from David Neo/FB