Joseph Schooling Does Singapore Proud!
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I think so far, how people have reacted to the Olympic gold is not so much the medal and history making itself but because of Schooling himself.
This kid has charisma. Doesn’t hurt that he is quite a cutie. He has come across as sincere, humble and ever so obliging. If it were any other born and bred Singaporean Olympian, I don’t think the effect would have been the same. -
Jennifer:
Personally, I have no issue with the individual sportsmen. They just accept the offers available. My issue is when it seems (from the general talk) that our government supports some of these foreigners better than our local kids. If that is true, I think their priorities are skewed. I feel we should support our own first and foremost; if we want to offer help to those from elsewhere, it should not be at a level greater than what we offer our own.Singapore was built by immigrants.
What is the issue about non Singapore born athletes wining medals for Singapore? -
slmkhoo:
Precisely. This is my exact sentiments.
Personally, I have no issue with the individual sportsmen. They just accept the offers available. My issue is when it seems (from the general talk) that our government supports some of these foreigners better than our local kids. If that is true, I think their priorities are skewed. I feel we should support our own first and foremost; if we want to offer help to those from elsewhere, it should not be at a level greater than what we offer our own.Jennifer:
Singapore was built by immigrants.
What is the issue about non Singapore born athletes wining medals for Singapore?
:goodpost: -
slmkhoo:
For discussion sake, where is the evidence that foreigners are supported better than our local kids and please elaborate on what is offer help to those from elsewhere, is this not for Singapore? Why is it that we are helping others? :?
Personally, I have no issue with the individual sportsmen. They just accept the offers available. My issue is when it seems (from the general talk) that our government supports some of these foreigners better than our local kids. If that is true, I think their priorities are skewed. I feel we should support our own first and foremost; if we want to offer help to those from elsewhere, it should not be at a level greater than what we offer our own.Jennifer:
Singapore was built by immigrants.
What is the issue about non Singapore born athletes wining medals for Singapore? -
Jennifer:
No issue with non Singapore born athletes winning medals for Singapore - I had felt just as glad when Susilo and Jing Junhong won medals for us.Singapore was built by immigrants.
What is the issue about non Singapore born athletes wining medals for Singapore?
My issue is with government bringing in foreign athletes specifically to win medals for Singapore (via that foreign talent sport scheme).
Let me share with you an (old) article written by a British journalist (who was talking about her own country and not Singapore, though):
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/jan/28/Olympics2012.olympics2012 -
sushi88:
For discussion sake, where is the evidence that foreigners are supported better than our local kids and please elaborate on what is offer help to those from elsewhere, is this not for Singapore? Why is it that we are helping others? :?[/quote]I don't actually know, which is why I say \"from general talk\". I have heard people say that foreigners get board and lodging along with training fees, while Singaporeans live at home and bear their own costs. I would love this not to be true, but I don't have any specific knowledge.
Personally, I have no issue with the individual sportsmen. They just accept the offers available. My issue is when it seems (from the general talk) that our government supports some of these foreigners better than our local kids. If that is true, I think their priorities are skewed. I feel we should support our own first and foremost; if we want to offer help to those from elsewhere, it should not be at a level greater than what we offer our own.slmkhoo:
[quote=\"Jennifer\"]Singapore was built by immigrants.
What is the issue about non Singapore born athletes wining medals for Singapore? -
slmkhoo:
Foreigners - Full time athlete i.e. salaried, full board
I don't actually know, which is why I say \"from general talk\". I have heard people say that foreigners get board and lodging along with training fees, while Singaporeans live at home and bear their own costs. I would love this not to be true, but I don't have any specific knowledge.sushi88:
For discussion sake, where is the evidence that foreigners are supported better than our local kids and please elaborate on what is offer help to those from elsewhere, is this not for Singapore? Why is it that we are helping others? :?
Local - Part time athlete i.e. no pay and father-mother sponsorship
See the athletes / national players under STTA, SAA, SHF, BAS, SBA, etc.
In badminton, consider the various Indonesia born players vs Derek Wong; or in track & field, the various China born throwers vs Neo Jie Shi (or Soh Rui Yong - SEA Games Gold medalist but did not qualify for Rio2016) -
I suspect the key reason why local talents have such a hard time getting support from the government is simply the ingrained belief that locals do not match up to foreign talents in terms of potential medal winners on the international stage. If you only have $100, who would you bet on? The dark horse or the pundits’ favourite?
Such a belief stems from the perception that Singapore simply does not have the capacity to grow world class athletes organically, because the socio-economic conditions cannot support the livelihood of a large pool of such talents, who may or may not win medals for us. So as usual, the powers-that-be went for the low hanging fruit. If we can’t grow talent, then we buy talent. We solve the problem as any commercial company would. Short circuit the process. Parachute in the elites. It started with the national footballers, and then seeped into most of the other mainstream sports over the decades.
While the policy may be a good idea to jump start a sport by bringing in professionals to up the ante for local sports people, I think the policy actually corrupts the meaning of sports. There is a distinct difference to a nation when medals are won by hired guns, or by sons of the nation. It is telling us that to excel in a sport, we must always rely on foreigners. It ignores the fact that it is passion that drives the quest for excellence, and natural born talent is only a lubricant in the process. And who is to say that Singaporeans lack the passion to become world class athletes of their own right?
Schooling has not only won a medal. He has destroyed the myth of 我国酱不够辣, proving that all it takes is a little more passion and self confidence than his competitors to win world class competitions. This is a wake up call to us all, and I hope it will start a renaissance where young local talents can begin believing in their own abilities to compete with the best in the world. -
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