Singapore Government MEDIA RELEASE Media Division, Ministry of Information and the Arts, 140 Hill Street #02-02 MITA Building 179369. Tel: 837 9666 ======EMBARGO INSTRUCTIONS The attached press release/speech is EMBARGOED UNTIL AFTER DELIVERY. Please check against delivery. For assistance call 837 9666 ======SPRInter 4.0, Singapore's Press Releases on the Internet, is located at: http://www.gov.sg/sprinter/ ======

EMBARGOED UNTIL AFTER DELIVERY PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

SPEECH BY RADM TEO CHEE HEAN, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION & 2ND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AND THE PRESIDENT, SNOC, AT THE FLAG PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR THE SINGAPORE OLYMPIC CONTINGENT, TUESDAY 29th AUGUST 2000, 4.00PM AT THE SSC VIP LOUNGE, NATIONAL STADIUM,

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Minister for Community Development and Sports

HE Mr Murray McLean, Australian High Commissioner

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Since 1948, except for the Moscow Games in 1980, Singapore has sent token participation to the . Forty years ago in the Olympics, Tan Howe Liang won for Singapore a Silver Medal.

This was the only we won in 12 outings. That Silver Medal won by Tan Howe Liang was achieved in an era of amateur sports, during which pure skill and total commitment by the athlete was unassisted by scientific development and funding schemes.

Today, we have in Singapore, a fresh approach to competitive sports development. The Ministry of Community Development has expanded to include Sports within its responsibilities.

The Singapore Sports Council and its Sports Excellence Division is committed to funding talent development, while its Sports Medicine and Fitness Division is stepping up its sports science expertise. We also have some of the finest sports facilities for the more popular sports. The last ingredient for Olympic success, or for that matter for success at major multi-sport games, such as Asian, Commonwealth and SEA Games seems to be finding and developing the talent in sports. The pool of talent which our NSAs in Singapore can draw upon for future champions is thinning. How many top grade athletes do our NSAs have? How do we develop a large enough pool of sports talent from which future champions will be drawn? What needs to be done to encourage more youths with talent to pursue competitive sport development?

Information from The Spex Division of SSC shows that within the six CORE sports, there were just 48 top athletes, while in the five Merit sports the number of elite athletes registered is 37. By top athlete, Spex means that it refers to an athlete who is ranked by his/her NSA to possess the potential to win medals at SEA Games and beyond. Of these 11 sports only Table Tennis registered seven names as their top athletes. 4 associations had none in the “Top Class”. Eight other Olympic sports in the Spex’s list of OTHERS do not have elite athletes at all.

This dearth of top-class athletes in the Olympic and Non Olympic sports needs attention from the NSAs, if sports excellence in Singapore is to have a foundation from which to grow.

For monetary incentives in winning medals, we have in place the Multimillion Dollar Award Plan, thanks to our stalwarts, Singapore Pools and F&N Coca Cola group of companies.

For infrastructure and funding support, we have the Ministry – MCDS and SSC and also Singapore Pools who separately, are funding projects under the NSAs.

For coaching excellence, SSC is reviewing plans to upgrade its strategic coaching plan. I also understand that a committee has been formed under SSC and with The Ministry of Education’s support, to study the setting up of a sports school.

All these are foundation stones in drawing in and preparing more sports talent, capable of competing at international events. NSAs are the key organisations directly involved in building this talent base. I urge NSAs to focus more attention on this aspect of their roles and responsibilities to achieve excellence in their sports.

Starting with the 21st SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in September 2001, with 32 sports, the NSAs should aim at developing top-grade athletes who can then continue focussing their efforts on 2002 where we have two major games, the Commonwealth and the . And, from there target towards a larger Singapore participation in The Athens 28th Olympic Games.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for The Olympic Games, Singapore Pools Pte Ltd and Messrs Sunrise & Co for outfitting tracksuits and sports shirts. It is also heartwarming to see Coca Cola and McDonald’s Restaurants and the Swatch Group (Singapore) in support.

For the flag presentation today on behalf of all of us here, I would like to wish the Singapore Contingent of 14 athletes and 13 officials under the leadership of Mr Ch’ng Jit Koon, “All The Best” in the Sydney Olympic Games. Do your best and any medal won would be a great occasion for celebration.

I am also happy to present our Republic’s Flag to our disabled athletes going to Sydney to participate in The Sydney Paralympics, with our Best Wishes for success.

I now have pleasure to call upon Mr Ch’ng and Mr Frankie Thanapal to receive our Flag.

Thank you.