Alice Cheong

It is reported by ST, that many national sports bodies are giving the athletes under them the ultimatum, that they must sign a contract to contribute part of their prize money before they are allowed to represent Singapore. If they refuse, they will not be allowed to represent Singapore.

Agree
1) We have SingaporeSailing president Low Two Ping saying that the contribution is “neither a tax nor a levy”, and “It is a way of inculcating a sense of responsibility and upright behaviour among the sailors and is no different from being filial at home.” Singapore Sailing takes a 20% of the prize money.

2) Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) president Jessie Phua said “Besides, one doesn’t become a champion all by himself. We’ve put in a whole system geared towards the bowlers’ success. It’s only right that you give back what you’ve benefited from.” SBF takes a 20% of the prize money.

3) Singapore Shooting Association (SSA) president Chng Seng Mok said “It;s not a threat – it’s a two-way commitment. In our case, our shooters fell honoured to give back.” SSA takes a 20% of the prize money.

4) Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck said that giving back part of the prize money is “very noble”, and “it’s a good thing that successful atheletes contribute back to society because, if they’ve been helped, they should help others too. Like the Chinese idiom goes – when you drink water, you don’t forget the source.”

Disagree
1) While Singapore Badminton Associate chief executive officier Kelcin Ng said “We don’t take a cut because our philosophy is that the players deserve the prize money. It also encourages them to play better.”

What is missing?
However, the main point that seemed to be missed is the high-handed commercialized way that the contribution is FORCED onto the athletes. It is a legal CONTRACT. Take it, or else you might as well as stop training since you will never get to represent Singapore.

It is more of saying, I am investing in you (asset) for a cut of your prize money. The asset, is a resource to be mined. We are no longer talking about philosophy, when it comes into using legal contract.

Oh, by the sayings of those agreeable national sports bodies, perhaps in future, school and university should also start making all students sign a contract for forced contribution of prize money, since, the school and university nurtured the students. Sign the contract of force contribution, else you will not be chosen.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 1:27 pm and is filed under News & Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.