SSC Commemorative Booklet 3Apr2012 (2)

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Convention 2012

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Table of Contents

Page 1Vision 2030

Page 13The Singapore Sports Council

Page 43The Story of Sporting Singapore

Page 51Milestones

Vision 2030│2 1│Vision 2030

VISION 2030

THE NEXT 20 YEARS IN SPORTSA vision of the future has anchored

every important decision made by

Singapore’s leadership since the early

days of our independence in 1965.

Education, housing, health, land use,

social welfare, fiscal management,

national defence. Our government has

always incorporated forward-planning

into its strategic development of

Singapore. With our small land mass

and limited natural resources, we have

never allowed ourselves the luxury of

providing ‘a quick fix’ for the ails of

one generation, if it came at the likely

expense of those generations yet to

come. Singapore has overcome many

odds to become a universal economic

and social miracle—through its fast-

held commitment to building for the

future.

However the world is changing,

and more rapidly than ever before.

Through technology that delivers

data, seemingly, faster than the

speed of light, our society is already

transforming before our eyes. As a

nation, we know we cannot rest on our

past achievements or rely solely on

what has worked before. Vision 2030,

a joint project by Singapore Sports

Council and the Ministry of Community

Development, Youth and Sports, is

exploring the roles that sport can play

in maintaining the social integrity and

economic strength of Singapore.

Vision 2030 began with a question:

how could sport best serve Singapore

and Singaporeans? The Vision 2030

team sat down with 500 people in

face-to-face interviews and received

input from another 2000 people via

our website www.vision2030.sg. We

heard your views on such wide-ranging

subjects as the use of physical space

in the city and heartlands, the nature

of sport in schools, the value of sport

to corporate Singapore and the

importance of sport to our national

identity in the face of our transforming

world.

THE DEMANDS OF CHANGEAt Vision 2030, we believe that

sport can and will provide many of

the solutions Singapore will need

in the years to come. Like an open-

water swimmer adapting to different

water conditions or a table tennis

player changing his style of play,

Singaporeans must be prepared

to lead the change we want in our

country. Our long experience in

anticipating and analyzing trends;

our capacity for planning, adapting

and aligning a whole-of-government

approach and our willingness

to employ creative, innovative

collaborations will be needed more

than ever before.

We should expect the world to change

as significantly in the next two decades

as it has in the past five decades. The

burden of responsibility on the average

Singaporean today will increase in

the decades to come, even as they

raise their expectations of a better

life. Like most generations, they have

an inherent belief that they will enjoy

a better life than their parents did.

However this is no longer a certainty.

Given our accomplishments since

independence, Singapore has much to

lose if we do not pro-actively navigate

and direct these challenges.

A NEW RELEVANCE FOR SPORTDuring the first decades of Singapore’s

history, our government did not rank

sport among its top priorities. However

as we overcame the challenges

associated with housing, education and

security, sport began a gradual rise to

prominence. In the 10 years since the

release of the Committee on Sporting

Singapore recommendations in June

2001, we have seen greater sports

participation, improved performance

and expanded investment on the back

of strategies designed to promote

sport.

However Vision 2030 would like to shift

the perspective. In our view, we do not

need strategies for sport. We believe

that sport should be adopted as a

national strategy to stimulate positive,

systemic change. Working with MCYS,

SSC put together a steering committee

to lead the discussion, consider

proposals and recommend policy

development based on the ideas and

feedback generated by the sporting

community and the public at large.

“Sports can be used as a strategy for

individual character development to

prepare our people for a more complex

and competitive environment,” said

Mr Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister

for Community Development, Youth

& Sports and Co-Chair of the Vision

2030 Steering Committee. “It can be a

way for busy people to find balance; for

the silver generation to age actively;

for youth to be engaged and learn

life skills. On the community front,

sports can be a powerful tool to bond

communities across genders, races and

religions. Sports can also be used to

build national pride, unite and ignite

our people as we move forward as

one.”

With the public launch of the project,

SSC Chief Executive Officer, Lim Teck

Yin asked: “How does sport add value

to your life and the lives of your team

and community? This is not a question

that seeks an abstract answer, but one

that asks us to ponder about the hard

facts of what is needed for us to live

healthy, happy and meaningful lives.

We were born as social beings; we are

raised to compete and excel (hopefully

with the right values); and we are

inspired by greatness. So how can we

develop sports in Singapore for it to be

a force for the betterment of our lives?”

After the launch in July 2011, the Vision

2030 team canvassed people from all

walks of life in Singapore, asking about

the sport in their lives. We wanted

to know why they played the sports

they did and whether they wanted to

play more. We wanted to hear about

the obstacles they faced in playing

sports. We asked about the support

they received from their schools and

their companies. We held talks with

young and mature athletes, parents,

educators, senior citizens, sponsors,

employers, business leaders, investors

and civil servants. Our conversations

took place under seven broad

banners of discussions, led by seven

subcommittees:

• BalancetotheRhythmofanUrbanLife(Subcommittee chaired by: Ng

Lang, CEO, Urban Redevelopment

Authority; Tan Wearn Haw, CEO,

Singapore Sailing Association)

Goal: To explore how sport can help

bring balance to our lives. Sport

is an opportunity for renewal

and rejuvenation — a chance

to reconnect with the diverse

communities in the fast-paced world

in which we live.

© 31/10/2011 All Rights Reserved - Arup Sport - DP Architects - Singapore Sports Hub

Photo by John Heng


• FutureReady(Subcommittee

chaired by: Yam Ah Mee, Chief

Executive Director, People’s

Association; Leslie Tan, Founder &

Editor, Redsports)

Goal: To explore how sport can

help Singaporeans prepare for

future challenges. In sports, we

learn how to lead, follow or get out

of the way. Leadership, discipline,

independence and teamwork are all

vital to success in the modern world.

• FutureScape (Subcommittee

chaired by: Dr Cheong Koon Hean,

CEO, Housing Development Board;

Dr Aymeric Lim, Associate Professor,

Chairman Medical Board, National

University Hospital)

Goal: To explore the use of space

for sport in the future. Life is about

change — and you can see this in

action as Singapore develops new

places to play and enjoy sports.

Through new technologies and

innovative thinking, we are adapting

our place-making strategies for

sports to design and build a better

life experience for Singaporeans.

• GenerationZ (Subcommittee

chaired by: Antonio del Rosario,

General Manager, Coca-Cola

Singapore; Mr André Ahchak, Chief

Operating Officer, AzVox Media and

Communications Pte Ltd )

Goal:To explore how sport can

do more for youth in Singapore.

Everyone has a sporting spirit, a

sporting life. Sport is an opportunity

for youth self-expression and

discovery, a chance for them to

connect with our world.

• OrganisingforSuccess

(Subcommittee chaired by: Richard

Seow, Chairman, Singapore Sports

Council; Jessie Phua, President,

Singapore Bowling Federation)

Goal: To explore how the public,

private and people sectors can work

together more effectively to deliver

the objectives of Vision 2030. Sport

can be among the most effective

strategies for nation-building.

Working together, we can identify

the structures and systems needed

to develop the sports model best

for Singapore over the next two

decades.

• SilverGeneration (Subcommittee

chaired by: Dr Teo Ho Pin, Mayor,

North West District and Ang Hak

Seng, CEO, Health Promotion Board)

Goal: To explore how sport can

contribute to active ageing. A

sporting life can be enjoyed at any

age. Retirees can still be engaged in

sports as officials, coaches, sports

administrators and volunteers. Not

only does remaining active in sport

help people stay fit and healthy, it

is an excellent way to maintain a

fulfilling social life.

• SpiritofSingapore (Subcommittee

chaired by: Lawrence Lien, National

Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre;

Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, President,

Special Olympics Singapore)

Goal: To explore how sport can drive

the Spirit of Singapore. What is our

sporting spirit? It’s that irrepressible

pride that sweeps over us when our

anthem is played, when our team

triumphs and even when one of our

athletes goes down with courage.

This pride of ownership is good for

Singapore as a nation and will help

sustain us in the decades to come.

MrChanChunSing(Chairman)Acting Minister Community Development, Youth and Sports

DrAymericLimChairman Medical Advisory Board National University Hospital

MrTeoSerLuck(DeputyChairman)Minister of StateMinistry of Trade & Industry

MsSawPhaikHwaChief Executive OfficerSMRT

MsYeohCheeYanSecond Permanent SecretaryMinistry of Education

MrAndréAhchakChief Operating OfficerAzVox Media and Communications Pte Ltd

MrNgWaiChoongDeputy Secretary (Policy)Ministry of Finance

MrsJessiePhuaCouncil MemberSingapore National Olympic Council

MrYamAhMeeChief Executive DirectorPeople‘s Association

DrTeo-KohSockMiangPresidentSpecial Olympics Singapore

MrAngHakSengChief Executive OfficerHealth Promotion Board

DrTeoHoPinMayorNorth-West District

MrNgLangChief Executive Officer Urban Redevelopment Authority

MrZainudinNordinDirector, NTUC Care & ShareNational Trades Union Congress

DrCheongKoonHeanChief Executive Officer Housing & Development Board

MrTanWearnHawChief Executive OfficerSingapore Sailing Federation

MrRichardSeowChairmanSingapore Sports Council

MrLaurenceLienChief Executive OfficerNational Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

MrRayFergusonRegional Chief ExecutiveSingapore & South-East AsiaStandard Chartered Bank

MrLeslieTanFounder and Editor Red Sports

MrTanTongHaiChief Operating OfficerStarHub

MsAsmahHanimbinteMohamed Honorary Assistant Secretary Singapore Athletic Association

MrAntonioDelRosario General Manager Coca-Cola Singapore

VISION 2030 STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Photo by Edwin Koo


VISION 2030 WHERE WE ARE NOW The Vision 2030 team engaged 500

people in focus groups, and more than

2,000 people sent in recommendations

by email or by posting on our www.

vision2030.sg website. As the analytical

work by our subcommittees got

underway, several themes emerged

from the passionate response and

informed perspective.

SportAsANationalLanguageSport can open lines of communication

among people who do not believe

they have anything in common. Sport

can inspire people to open their

communities to others, and it can

inspire people to join new ones.

Sport provides neutral but positive

environments for people to socialise

and compete with each other. Sport

can speak to people in a language

they understand, with rules they

will honour and outcomes they will

respect. Sport literally gets people

on their feet and into the game—as

players, as spectators, as volunteers,

as cheerleaders. Sport doesn’t care

how old or young you are. Sport helps

us grow as individuals, as communities

and as a nation. Sport is a language

that will unite us as friends, colleagues,

competitors and Singaporeans.

Whythismatters: Singapore’s

cultural and ethnic cohesion has been

a key facet of our national identity

since independence. We may not

always agree with each other but as a

plural society, we have managed our

differences in a spirit of mutual respect.

The relationships we have forged at

home with each other have created a

powerful image internationally. Our

social harmony has been a natural draw

for multinational companies, looking

to establish a regional base. These

companies provide employment and

help diversify our economy to the

benefit of all.

In recent years, though, economic

pressures have been testing the

strength of our social fabric. The

recession of 2008-2009 triggered many

concerns over what the future held for

Singaporeans. People wrote letters to

the media, expressing anger and fear

that Singaporean jobs were being lost

to foreigners or that coveted spots

at university were being granted to

students from overseas.

As a society, we are not unique in our

concerns about what the future holds

for ourselves and our children. As

we continue to see the arrival of new

immigrants, permanent residents,

employment pass holders and foreign

workers, a common language will be

ever-more relevant. Sport can provide

all of us with not only a much-needed

sense of equity but an improved sense

of self-worth and belonging.

In Sporting Singapore, everyone gets

a voice.

SportWithoutBoundariesSport can mean many things to

different people; but everyone who

wants to play should be given an

opportunity to play their sport. Sport

without Boundaries is about providing

quality programming and affordable

access to facilities and coaches. It is as

philosophical as reconsidering how we

use space with the aim of maximising

the social value of our limited land

resources. It is as practical as reducing

red tape for bookings or increasing our

co-use schemes with partners. It is as

vital as encouraging social integration

on the sports field while still offering

people opportunities to play at their

own speed, regardless of age, ability,

race or religion.

Sport without Boundaries can be

something as simple as providing

shaded space for senior citizens

to practise qigong with a caring,

qualified coach near their home. Or

it’s a dedicated bus, designed with

a wheel-chair ramp, to take the silver

generation to a nearby sports and

recreation facility. It is about allocated

time for seniors to play table tennis

or go swimming at the SRC, with

the possibility of a heart and blood

pressure check following a workout. It

is about encouraging people to play at

their own pace.

Sport without boundaries is about

working with children to help them

develop their particular sporting

talents instead of forcing them to

choose from a pre-set list of approved

sports. It is about ensuring that all

children get to play the sport they love

every day of the week. By providing

focus and hope through sport, it is

about ensuring that we do not lose our

youth generation to crime, drugs or

other forms of bad behaviour.

Sport without boundaries is about

supporting the disadvantaged or

the disenfranchised in discovering

their passion for sports. It welcomes

people with intellectual and physical

disabilities with the same good

sportsmanship and support that it puts

forward for the fully able. Sport without

Boundaries ensures that facilities are

designed to make it easier, not harder,

for the disabled to play sport.

Sport without boundaries provides

access and opportunities for all people

to stay fit and healthy and to enjoy

sports, regardless of socio-economic

status, race or religion. Sport without

boundaries says unequivocally that

everyone can play.

Whythismatters:Not every family

can afford a country club membership

to play tennis. Not every adult can still

drive a car to get to the badminton

court. Not every player can retain the

services of a great coach.

Sport without Boundaries will provide

everyone with the space to live an

active and healthy lifestyle. Through

the accessibility of sporting spaces,

we will engage youths at school, on

the streets and in the communities.

Given our diverse background, it is

through the spaces for sport that we

unite regardless of race, age, ability or

language. As our population ages, the

spaces and accessibility that we create

for sport keeps our silver generation

strong, fit and active, not just for their

families but our ageing workforce.

As we increase the accessibility for sport,

we will provide the working population

with the facilities and infrastructure

to weave sport and exercise in their

everyday lives. The spaces we create for

our disabled can enrich their lives, it can

include them into the community. It gives

them a sense of freedom and empowers

them with hope. Photo courtesy of Special Olympics

Ameer Amran made waves in the school sport scene this year with his agility and acrobatic footwork in sepak takraw. After receiving the Singapore School Sports Council Best School Boy Award for the sport, the Queensway Secondary School student was quick to pay tribute to the role that sport has played in shaping his life.

Behind his diligent exterior lies a compelling story of how sport has helped him pull through a turbulent past. At the tender age of seven, his parents were arrested for drug offences. Soon after his release from prison, Ameer’s father left for Indonesia, leaving Ameer and his brother under the care of his grandmother. A year later, his mom was released, but a repeated drug offence sent her back to prison. At just 17, Ameer works part-time at a restaurant on weekends to make ends meet and he continues to be a role model for his younger brother. Through sport, he has built the confidence to forge a future filled with hope and endless possibilities. (Source: TNP, 10-10-2011, Dad Missing, Mum Struggling, But He Wins Top Award)


The accessibility we create for our

youth-at-risk or underprivileged can

provide them with a path towards a

more productive and meaningful life.

Through our spaces, we inspire. It can

be a space of hope, one where youths

gather to forge closer bonds, build life-

long values and soar to greater heights.

In Sporting Singapore, everyone gets

to play.

FutureReadyThroughSportsChildren, youth and young adults

learn principles through sport that

will serve them well in all aspects

of life, throughout their lives. Sport

teaches young children about learning

to win while playing by the rules.

Sport teaches youth how to grow as

individuals while serving the best

interests of a team. Sport teaches

people how to prepare strategically

and think tactically. When a game

goes wrong, sport teaches people

how to problem-solve in real time.

Through failure on the field, people

learn resilience and tenacity in life.

They learn respect for comrades and

competitors, regardless of nationality,

race, religion, age and ability. They learn

perspective, good judgement and good

sportsmanship. Young adults learn

when to lead and when to follow to

accomplish a specific task or a greater

purpose. They learn that ability must be

supported by hard work, perseverance

and commitment to a greater good.

Everyone learns that winning doesn’t

matter without fair play.

Whythismatters: The planet may

be revolving at the same speed it

always has, but the life of an average

Singaporean is moving ever-faster.

Sport can help prepare Singaporeans

for a more competitive and more

demanding future. In today’s global

economy, Singapore competes with

the world, and Singaporeans compete

with candidates from around the

world. Thirty years ago, a university

degree was a guarantee of a job with

good prospects. Twenty years ago,

people needed fluency in a second

language as well as a master degree.

As companies merged and downsized

and global markets rationalised, new

graduates discovered there were no

guarantees, anymore.

A life in sports can provide people

with attributes valued by employers.

Athletes who have understood the

need for a long-term disciplined

training programme understand that

there are no short cuts to success in

business, either. Athletes who have

played different positions on a team

appreciate the different roles played

by people on a finance project. People

who know how to win with grace or

lose with nobility also know how to

motivate and lead people through

good times or bad times. Youth who

exemplify good sportsmanship on the

field as young athletes will be excellent

team players as working adults. They

can be relied upon to work for the

good of the group, the good of the

company and the good of the nation.

In Sporting Singapore, everyone learns

to do the right thing.

OrganisingForSuccessNewspaper headlines and studies

from around the world tell us that the

rich are getting richer and the poor

are getting poorer. More people are

suffering from obesity and related

illnesses such as hypertension, Type

2 diabetes and osteoarthritis. More

people are suffering from stress—too

many responsibilities at work, rising

family pressures and too little time for

leisure.

In Singapore, where people put in

more hours at the office than any other

country, the trends are becoming

visible here as well. Singapore still has

an obesity rate well below those of

other first-world nations, and we have

a broad social safety net that offsets

some of the effect of the income gap.

However compounding the demands

of our busy professional lives and our

personal health issues is the rapid

graying of our population. For many

years, the fertility rate in Singapore

has been insufficient to maintain the

population growth needed to meet

the demands of our economy. People

are living longer, even as the workforce

supporting the economy is shrinking.

These issues are neither minor

nor short term. They will require

fundamental change by Singaporeans.

Whythismatters: Vision 2030 believes that sport has some of the

solutions we seek. It is imperative

that the people-private-and-public

sectors of Singapore work together to

co-create the solutions we need. By

aligning the different capabilities of the

various stakeholders, we will be better-

placed to manage the development of

policies, programming and space.

There are no easy answers, but sport

can build trust among millions of

people. It can drive awareness and

promote social responsibility. Through

the values of sport, we can strengthen

the resilience of our people, encourage

teamwork and develop strategic

leaders. With the support of Corporate

Singapore, we can uncover talent and

harness potential. We can develop

heroes who will inspire. Together

we can unite a nation, through

partnerships for sport.

Following the public consultation, the

Vision 2030 team drafted 19 preliminary

recommendations on how sport could

be a key strategy to serve Singapore.

The Vision 2030 team is now seeking

further feedback from stakeholders

to review the recommendations. The

preliminary recommendations have

been categorised under Opportunities,

Access and Capabilities.


OPPORTUNITIES1.SuperSportsClubsForm regional ‘Super Sports Clubs’

to extend the reach of sports

programming. The Super Sports Clubs

will be a home base for individuals,

families and the community to gather,

learn, train and compete in a range

of sports and get together for social

or business purposes. The Super

Sports Clubs will provide affordable

community-relevant programming

and coaching for all skill levels and

age groups, including fundamental

movement skills for young children

and modified sports for seniors. The

community can enjoy spontaneous

play, compete in league-based

competitions or host one-off sporting

events. The Clubs will also welcome

corporate sports teams and will

prepare members or teams to compete

in national/open championships. The

pilot concept for the Super Sports

Clubs will be implemented towards the

end of 2012. The public are invited to

log on to vision2030.sg to vote on the

sports they would like to see piloted in

the inaugural year.

2.SportsPathwaysCommitteeEstablish a standing Sports Pathways

Committee, comprising members

from MCYS, MOE, Singapore Armed

Forces, People’s Association, National

Trades Union Congress, tertiary

institutions, Singapore Sports School

and the Singapore Sports Council.

The committee serves as a platform

for collaboration in the development

of different pathways, allowing people

to remain active in sports, as athletes,

coaches, officials or in other career

options available in sports. The

committee would seek to provide every

youth in Singapore the opportunity

to regularly participate in sport,

whether at school, university, during

National Service or in the community.

Additionally, the committee would

work to encourage Singaporeans to

embrace a sporting lifestyle and that

sport becomes a tool to inculcate

strong social values in our youth.

3.CorporateLeaguesWork with Corporate Singapore to see

companies expand their involvement in

sport. The concepts include:

• Leveragingonsportforleadership

development and learning

programmes for employees

• Formingacompetitivecorporate

sports league, supported and/or

organised by companies to play

within and cross business sectors

• Customisingsportingsolutionsfor

companies to use as employee

loyalty/perquisite programmes

• Developingappropriateincentives

and recognition for companies that

support Sporting Singapore

4.SeniorsFitnessEcosystemDevelop a fitness ecosystem for

seniors. The strategy includes, but is

not limited to, the following:

• Enhancingthemulti-agency

collaborative platform to encompass

private sector partners, service

providers and Voluntary Welfare

Organisations

• Workingwithstakeholderstoidentify

three to five easily accessible sports

for seniors to promote cardiovascular

health, balance, strength and

flexibility

• Workingwithstakeholderstocreate

multi-tiered outreach programmes,

with modest incentive components,

to motivate seniors of all ages and

abilities to take up these sports

• Settingnationalstandardsforsports

participation and sports safety for

seniors

• Creatingpathwaysandpositionsfor

seniors to continue contributing to

our sporting communities

throughout their lifetimes

5.UnifiedSportsCollaborate to create opportunities

for unified sports to bridge divides in

society. For example, sporting events

could feature mixed teams of the able-

bodied and those with physical and

intellectual disabilities. The concept of

unified sports will revolve around the

use of modified rules, play areas and

equipment to create a level playing

field. The participants will come to

learn more about each other as they

train and compete together in a spirit

of inclusiveness. The relationships and

sensibilities developed on the field may

be extended into daily life, benefiting

all Singaporeans.

ACCESS6.SportsEventsStrategyRevamp the Sports Events Strategy

with a more holistic approach and

clearly defined outcomes. A portfolio

of events will be identified and

developed to serve the different

national needs. First, international

events will provide national athletes

with opportunities to raise their

standards and will contribute to

Singapore’s positioning as a vibrant

global city in which to “Live, Work

and Play”. Second, there will be

events to inspire participation, either

through opportunities for ordinary

Singaporeans to see the best of the

world play or to take part in such

as the Singapore National Games.

Third, we will need to create a

sports entertainment environment

to generate more interest among

fans and spectators. This will in turn

stimulate private sector interest in

broadcast content, branding and

sponsorship, sale of rights and

merchandise licensing.

7.SportsSpectatorshipandViewershipEnhance the experience for spectators

at live action events and the broadcast

audience by leveraging on the latest

technologies and sports presentation

formats. Advancements in technology,

such as smart-phones and interactive

TVs, will continue to change the way

that media content is consumed.

Premium-quality production of ‘live’

sporting events, both locally and

internationally, will bring sport directly

into the homes of Singaporeans. The

sustained media coverage of local

athletes and teams will also help

the public experience the sporting

journey vicariously and increase the

sense of national pride linked to their

achievements.

Interactive content across the full

range of platforms will create a

vibrant sport broadcast industry,

generating employment opportunities

for Singaporeans in diverse areas

such as filming, editing, scripting and

announcing.

8.TeamSingaporeStrengthen connections between the

general public and Team Singapore

athletes. A deeper identification with

Team Singapore will help Singaporeans

develop a greater sense of national

pride and identity. We want people to

realise the impact sport can have on

the development of community social

capital and to identify with our national

athletes.

9.SportsFacilitiesMasterPlanDevelop a new concept for the future

planning and design of sports facilities

under the Sports Facilities Master Plan

(SFMP). The SFMP will incorporate the

national sports agenda, strategic plans

by other government agencies, the

changing needs of the community and

shifting demographics.

The SFMP has called for more creative

and innovative placemaking for sports,

including making better use of space in

precincts, parks, waterways and the city

centre. This has translated into plans for

a more relevant mix of facilities, which

will also be designed with broadcast

and spectatorship considerations.

10.SportCaresFoundationandMovementEstablish a SportCares Foundation

and Movement. Singapore already

has a spirit of sport philanthropy and

volunteerism. However a SportCares

Foundation would make explicit the

efforts of the movement, which would

be focused on inculcating stronger

social values among Singaporeans


14.CoachingAcademyEstablish a ‘Coaching Academy’ to

lead the professional development

of coaches and the coaching sector

in Singapore. The Academy would

include mentoring opportunities for

coaches and speciality training in

working with youth, adults and seniors

to meet the growing demand from

individuals, schools, sports clubs,

national sports associations and

corporates. An international advisory

panel is expected to be formed to help

chart the direction and development of

the Academy.

These coaches will range from

instructors for learn-to-play classes

to participation coaches for youth to

high-performance coaches for national

teams. The Academy will serve as a

‘Gold Standard’ and establish coaching

as a viable and sustainable career

choice for Singaporeans.

15.SportsLeadershipandCharacterDevelopmentCurriculumProduce a curriculum on sports

leadership and character development

for use by leadership institutions to

provide platforms for organisations

and communities to strengthen their

people. The emphasis on sports

leadership and character building

is key to promoting the holistic

development of people through sport.

Teaching through sport situations, the

curriculum would strive to empower

individuals to achieve their full

potential, through self management

and responsible decision-making. The

curriculum would fully align with the

national standards for youth sports and

the frameworks for coaching, volunteer

and professional development

frameworks.

16.IntegratedAcademicandSportingCurriculumCollaborate with the Ministry of

Education to develop a more

integrated academic and sporting

curriculum. Many mainstream schools

are already trying to accommodate

the schedules of students preparing

for overseas competitions. However it

largely has been done on an ad-hoc

basis: students are given extra lessons

by their teachers; homework is given

in advance for the students to do on

the road; or students are permitted

to arrive late to school so they may

attend early morning training sessions.

Through the development of innovative

integrated sports programmes in more

schools, more students will be able to

achieve both academic and sporting

excellence.

17.AcademyforSportsProfessionalsUpgrade the sports sector by forming

an Academy for Sports Professionals.

It will develop the knowledge and

capabilities of administrators, coaches,

technical officials, and athletes,

leading to a more professional and

capable industry overall. The Academy

will tie up with existing local or

overseas universities to offer diploma,

graduate diploma, degree, and

further downstream, post-graduate

certification. There will also be short

courses for continuing education.

18.SustainableResourcingModelforSportingSingaporeExplore alternate sources of funding,

thereby reducing Sporting Singapore’s

dependence on government monies

for sport development.

Going forward, in the medium to long

term, Singapore could reduce its

dependence on direct government

support through the continued

development of the local sports

rights and sponsorship market,

and an expansion of sport-related

philanthropy.

With more diversified funding,

Sporting Singapore will enjoy improved

opportunities to realise a more vibrant

future for sports in the country.

19.ProfessionalServicesintheSportsIndustryEstablish a multi-agency effort,

involving the private sector and

professional bodies, to grow

professional services in the sports

industry. Not only will this effort serve

growing local and regional demand

for such services, it will diversify the

career options for athletes. To support

Singapore’s position as an Asian hub

for sports industry (investment in new

business and capex in fixed assets)

and sports business (sponsorships

of events and athletes, intellectual

properties), there is a need for an

intellectual infrastructure to nurture

the development of sport-related

professional services such as in law and

marketing. For example, Singapore

already is seen as an expert in finance

and law and has an excellent reputation

in arbitration. Developing its expertise

as a regional expert on dispute

resolution in sport would be a logical

next step.

through sport. SportCares would use

sport to improve the well-being of

vulnerable segments of our society.

We believe that the creation of the

SportCares Foundation could be

activated to address this gap in social

opportunities.

SportCares would be an ideal platform

for Corporate Singapore to use sport

for corporate social responsibility. The

SportCares Foundation would optimise

the positive impact that sport can have

on who we are as a cohesive nation

of diverse communities. SportCares

would be a platform for people who

have benefited from society to give

back into society, through donations to

the SportCares Foundation or through

sports volunteerism.

11.TechnologytoPromoteSportingAwarenessandLifestyleImprove our communication on sports

programming by creating a one-stop

platform with information on the

availability of sport facilities, activities

and events. A more integrated

approach will lead to more organic and

spontaneous formation of sporting

events and clusters, similar to the

ecosystem at Turf City.

CAPABILITIES12.SportsVolunteerFrameworkDevelop an enhanced Sports

Volunteers Framework to add value

to the volunteer journey and raise

the quality of sport volunteerism in

Singapore. SSC should create a “Gold

Standard” for sports volunteerism,

positioning itself as a platform for

learning, development and community.

The ultimate aim of the Framework is

to develop sports volunteerism as part

of a national strategy to strengthen

communities and people.

13.SingaporeSportsInstituteExpand the community impact of the

Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) by

enhancing the sporting system. The

SSI will be able to more effectively

deliver the benefits of success in high-

performance sport to all Singaporeans

in the following key areas:

• Long-termathletedevelopmentand

life planning support

• Capabilitydevelopmentforsports

science and medicine

• Industrydevelopmentforsports

science and medicine

The Singapore Sports Council│14 13│The Singapore Sports Council

THE HISTORY OF SPORTING SINGAPORETHE SINGAPORE SPORTS COUNCIL

If you run a sports business, you

know that we are committed to

your success. If you have wanted

to upgrade your professional skills,

you know we develop capabilities

across all facets of sports industry,

including manufacturing, retail

and merchandising, media and

broadcasting, education and training,

sports medicine and science services

and professional services such as

sports events and talent management,

law and consultancies. It’s a long

list because there are so many

opportunities

Wherever you are in sport, that is

where we are, too. Whoever you want

to be in sports, that is who we are.

WHAT WE DOFormed in 1973, Singapore Sports

Council (SSC) is the national sports

agency, functioning as the country’s

master planner, funder and partner

in sports development. Working with

the public and private sectors, SSC

promotes and develops participation,

excellence and industry at home

and internationally. Everything we

do is driven by the belief that sport

contributes to the character of our

people, the vibrancy of our city and the

economic stability and diversity of our

nation.

OurVision: A Sporting Singapore. Our

Way of Life.

WHO WE AREWe are many different things to many

different people. If you enjoy sports,

you have already seen us doing what

we do best.

If you have sweated through a sports

lesson, you were likely coached by

someone we helped train. If you played

sports in school, you may have taken a

class we helped fund. If you get up to

swim at dawn, you may be practising in

one of our pools. If you play a weekly

game with friends for fun, you are the

spirit of our Let’s Play brand.

If you have qualified for a National

squad, then you know us as one of

your greatest supporters and fans. If

you have worn Singapore’s colours at a

major game, you were probably treated

by one of our sports medicine and

science specialists.

If you have put your pride on the line

in a sporting competition, you very

likely have seen our name on the

marquee as an organiser, a supporter

or a sponsor. If you came to cheer for

your friends and family during the race,

you saw our signs on sports safety. If

you have played at one of our Sports &

Recreation Centres, you know we mean

it when we say: Think Safe, Play Safe,

Stay Safe.

If you have organised a sporting event,

you know us as a trusted partner. If you

are a sports journalist, you know we

want to read your stories.

OurMission: Developing sports

champions & creating enjoyable

sporting experiences for Singapore

With a mandate from the Ministry of

Community Development, Youth and

Sports, we develop opportunities

and pathways for people to play and/

or excel in sports as recreational or

elite athletes; to be engaged in sports

as coaches, officials, volunteers or

fans; and to do business in sports as

sponsors, investors, media, sports

medical personnel, retailers and

manufacturers.

We employ over 900 people at our

head office and through our vast

network of swimming complexes,

Sports & Recreation Centres, stadiums,

sports halls and sports fields.

SSC has always maintained that we

are only as strong as our network

of partners. Among our major

partners are the 64 National Sports

Associations (NSAs) – the individual

national governing bodies for sports

sanctioned by SSC, the Ministry of

Education (MOE) and the Singapore

National Olympic Council (SNOC), the

People’s Association and the Economic

Development Board.

The NSAs play a key role in developing

their respective sports – ranging from

driving general participation at one

end of the sporting spectrum and elite

performance at the other. SSC funds

the NSAs in the range of S$50 million

to S$60 million (on average) every year

in direct and indirect grants through

a process known as the Annual NSA

Grant Exercise (ANGE). The ANGE

process reviews funding proposals by

the NSAs and then determines the SSC

financial support for the respective

associations.

ANGE is one of the most important

levers used by SSC to drive sports

development in Singapore. It helps

us set benchmarks for the NSAs in

developing sports participation,

training coaches and officials,

hosting events, financial governance,

management succession and creating

long-term elite athlete development

programmes.

NSAs that wish to receive funding from

SSC must ensure that fundamental

governance frameworks and processes

are in place. These are provided for in

the code of governance for charitable

organisations. Thus, NSAs must be

registered as a charitable organisation

to qualify for SSC funding.

In addition, NSAs must demonstrate

their capabilities in long-term planning

and the operating framework to

implement their plans. Introduced in

2010, this requirement is in line with

international best practices in sports

development.

The MOE has played a critical role in

maintaining the participation of youth

in sports throughout their student

years as well as grooming sporting

talents for the future. Moreover,

Singapore’s network of schools helps

deliver SSC policies on athlete and

coach development, officials training

and sports safety.Photo by John Heng Photo by Edwin Koo


As we realise this vision, our city

becomes a more dynamic place to

live: more people playing sports, more

sports becoming available and more

places and opportunities for people to

play sports.

Indeed, our growing sporting culture

has helped turn Singapore into one of

the most vibrant and enjoyable cities in

which to live.

WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHEDIn the past 10 years, the Singapore

Sports Council has transformed the

nation’s attitudes towards sports.

People are playing more sports,

watching more sports and volunteering

at more sporting events. Sports jobs

are increasing in numbers and variety,

e.g. coaching, events management,

public relations, science & medicine

and broadcast media.

We also are, increasingly, winning our

share of medals at major multi-sport

games, world championships and

regional competitions. In 2008, at the

Beijing Olympic Games, we won our

first Olympic medal in 48 years with the

Ladies Table Tennis team picking up

the silver. At the Paralympics in 2008,

Yip Pin Xiu won Singapore’s first gold

medal in our history of competing at

the games.

Rising table tennis star Isabelle Li, at

only 14 years old, played with valour to

a silver medal at the Singapore 2010

Youth Olympic Games. In 2010, the

Ladies Table Tennis Team emerged

as Champions at the Liebherr World

Table Tennis Championships in

Moscow. We have won medals at world

championships in swimming, shooting

and sailing.

We are not resting on our laurels. For

the London Olympic Games in 2012, we

are aiming to win two Olympic medals

and six at Rio 2016.

Singapore is fast-becoming one of

the world’s leading cities for sports,

entertainment and leisure, thanks in

part to the many initiatives driven by

SSC. In early 2010 we were ranked

2nd only to Melbourne in the Ultimate

Sports Cities Awards, hosted by the

prestigious Sport Business Group of

London – an award that paid tribute to

the diversity and innovation we have in

our events portfolio. Later in the year,

we also won the Sports City award for

2010 at the International Sports Event

Management Conference in London.

When we held the inaugural FORMULA

1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

as a night race, we made Formula 1

history. When we held the inaugural

Asian Youth Games Singapore 2009,

we made history for the youth of Asia.

When we held the inaugural Singapore

2010 Youth Olympic Games, we

made Olympic history. Moreover, we

continue to make Singaporean history

by hosting a full calendar of regional

and community events, seeing 700 in

2009 and about 600 in 2010.

Sporting events add to Singapore’s

economic diversity and stability.

However, events are not the only

vehicle producing returns for the

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DOWe believe that sport enriches lives.

Our vision is to make sport a way of life

in Singapore. Playing sports teaches

people of all ages how to be resilient

and disciplined, to act tactically while

thinking strategically, to remain true

to a plan while problem-solving in

real-time, to work independently

and to work as a team, to push on

through adversity and to celebrate

achievement and to play with spirit

while demonstrating respect for all.

The life lessons we learn in sports will

help us lead better, richer lives.

Photo by John Heng Photo by Tilt Pte Ltd


country. Sporting Singapore has

brought in pure financial investment

in branding, capital spending in

new enterprise and value add in the

creation of new jobs.

There is more excitement to come. The

upcoming Singapore Sports Hub (SSH)

will literally change our landscape.

As a megaproject, it will accelerate

the development of our sports

industry, excellence and participation.

Combined with our recurring

programming and events, SSH will

take Sporting Singapore to a new

level of sporting achievement at home

and internationally. SSH will drive the

creation of new revenue streams and

jobs during the construction periods

and generate new career pathway

options once the developments are

fully operational.

SPORTSPARTICIPATION In driving sports participation, SSC

is planting the seeds of a holistic

sporting culture – a culture where

people cannot imagine life without

sports. Team Singapore, the collective

identity of our elite athletes, coaches

and officials, is one of our most

powerful vehicles for igniting sports

passion in Singapore. The valour and

success of our Team Singapore athletes

at major games and international

championships helps connect our

communities. Anchored by the three

key attributes of Pride, Performance

and Perseverance, Team Singapore

galvanises people into sporting action.

Through Team Singapore and other

initiatives, SSC sparks participation by

providing opportunities and access

for all Singaporeans to enjoy sports as

players, coaches, officials, volunteers,

spectators, media and sponsors.

OPPORTUNITIESTO PLAYSportsParticipationPathwayProgrammeLong-term athlete development

recognises that children, youth and

adults learn how to move and play

sports over several stages. Influencing

an athlete’s progression are the

different physical, psychological,

emotional and social development

periods they experience in life.

The process starts with helping young

children develop basic psycho-motor

skills, such as agility, balance, co-

ordination and speed. It goes on

to help develop the sporting skills

and knowledge that will encourage

individuals to participate in life-long

physical activity and recreational sport.

Ultimately, for those with potential, the

Pathway can provide the platform for

elite performance.

The Pathway Programme approach

will define roles for all delivery

agencies within Sporting Singapore,

creating a common framework

for concepts and practice. SSC is

already currently working with its

many partners, especially the MOE,

on a few programmes as part of this

holistic pathway development strategy.

Although it is still in its early days,

the Pathway Programme is already

addressing several of the phases

represented in long-term athlete

development.

Some examples of programmes

include:

•FundamentalMovementSkills(FMS): Physical literacy, such as

coordination and strength, is an

important contributor to developing

confidence in children and youth.

International studies have shown

that if children haven’t mastered

basic sports movements by nine to

12 years of age, they are likely to

withdraw from sports completely

during their teens.

To get our children off on the right

start, we produced a new guidebook

for educators and caregivers for

preschoolers from the age of two

years and youngsters up to 10

years old. Fun Start! Move Smart!

The FUNdamental MOVEment

Skills for Growing Active Learners

Resource Guide is designed for

preschool teachers, caregivers,

parents and other people who work

or volunteer with small children. The

guide is packed with suggestions

for activities, teaching aids, safety

practices and observational

checklists to get children moving in

and out of the classroom. The earlier

children learn the basic movements

associated with agility, balancing,

hopping, skipping, jumping, running,

throwing and catching, the easier it

will be to pick up sports.

• SportsEducationProgramme(SEP):An innovative joint venture

funding programme with the Ministry

of Education, the SEP expands the

number of sporting options available

to youth across the school system.

SEP has funded co-curricular classes,

sports leagues and sports camps.

More than a quarter million children

and youth have played sports as a

result of the SEP model.

• SatelliteCentres:More

opportunities, more access for youth

aged 6 – 16 years to play sports at

a community level, with a heavy

focus on fun for all. The centres

are in the process of being set up

at schools, community clubs and

sports facilities across Singapore.

The original plan calls for 26 satellite

centres, in line with the 26 sports

played at the Singapore 2010 Youth

Olympic Games. However centres

for other sports may be established

in response to popular demand. The

centres will provide a league system

for children and youth who want to

play but have been unable to qualify

for the school teams.

ListofOfficialSchoolSports

ArcheryBadmintonBasketballCanoeingCricketCross CountryFencingFloorballFootballGolf GymnasticsHockeyJudoNetballRugbySailing

Sepak TakrawShootingSoftballSquashSwimmingTable TennisTaekwondoTennisTenpin BowlingTrack & FieldVolleyballWater PoloWushu

Photo by John Heng


• Junior/YouthTechnicalOfficiatingProgramme: Recognising the need

to groom local technical officials,

SSC worked with MOE and the NSAs

to launch the Junior Youth Officiating

Programme in 2009. SSC provides

the technical theory on officiating

and the NSAs provide the practical

knowledge of the specific sports.

In 2010, the SSC included tertiary

schools in the programme.

COACHING PATHWAY PROGRAMMEA great coach brings out the best in

an athlete. Even if the athlete isn’t

destined for greatness, a great coach

brings out an immense feeling of

personal achievement and success in a

young child or team.

At SSC, we have a multi-level

framework to help raise the standards

of coaching throughout a coach’s

professional life. Our coaching

development programme provides

opportunities for coaches to expand

their knowledge base appropriate for

their coaching level. Not all coaches

want to take an athlete to an Olympic

Games. Quality coaching is needed at

all stages of the game.

NationalCoachingAccreditationProgramme(NCAP): Our NCAP is

designed to make better coaches

across the board, beginning with

learn-to-play coaches. Working with

the NSAs, we run coaching theory

classes on lesson management, ethics,

fair play, goal setting and managing

budgets; the NSAs run the sport

specific training workshops. NCAP is a

progressive programme that certifies

coaches with higher qualifications as

they advance through the training.

All NCAP coaches are registered in

our databank, the National Registry

of Coaches. Originally introduced

in 2005, NCAP has gradually been

raising the quality of coaching at all

levels in Singapore. More than 1,200

coaches have taken and passed NCAP

training. In 2010, the SSC began

working on enhancements to the coach

development framework.

ContinuingCoachEducationProgramme(CCE):CCE programmes

are organised regularly to help coaches

further upgrade their coaching

knowledge and skills, and raise their

level of coaching competency.

NationalRegistryofCoaches(NROC):Coaches who pass NCAP,

maintain their CCE status and a valid

CPR certificate are listed in this national

database, used by schools and parents

to source for qualified coaches.

www.coaching.com.sg

TECHNICAL OFFICIATING PATHWAY PROGRAMMEGreat technical officials are as crucial to

sports development as great coaches

are to athlete development. Technical

officials set the standards for ethics

in the sport and fair play in the event.

They ensure that games are won by

superior achievement – not lost by

poor officiating.

As Singapore positions itself as a

city for world-class sporting events,

the SSC has begun a long-term

development framework for Technical

Officials. We focus on three key

strategies: education and training

through programmes and mentorship;

practical experience through officiating

opportunities via the NSAs; and

recognition through grants and letters

of support for technical officials who

wish to train overseas.

The Junior Technical Officials

Programme (J-Top) provides a platform

for young athletes to learn officiating.

J-Top is another means for youth to

Total Number of Coaches: 1597

TopSportsbyNumberofCoaches

Swimming: 826Basketball: 109Wushu: 96Badminton: 65Bowling: 43 Football: 42 Archery: 41

Requirements:NCAP Theory and Technical Certification Minimum age of 18 and above Valid Standard First Aid and CPR Certification

Photo by John Heng

Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images


remain active in sports, long past their

years of competitive play. Concurrently,

it will expand the pool of volunteer

officials for community carnivals, fairs

and NSA junior events, and it will

help ensure the long-term quality of

technical officiating in Singapore.

SPORTSPARTICIPATION:SPORTS SAFETYThink Safe, Play Safe, Stay Safe. These

words are our best advice for everyone

playing sports. Our National Sports

Safety Framework has become a

benchmark for safety throughout

Singapore. We often are called in by

our partners in the education system,

the community associations, the club

networks and the private sector to give

presentations on safety awareness.

We provide practical advice that can

be used by individuals, company

managers and facility operators.

If you visit one of our facilities, you will

see our literature and guidelines on

safety from the moment you reach the

entrance gate. Defibrillators are within

easy reach of the pool and the playing

field to treat people in distress. More

than 90% of our staff are trained in

CPR, and we run training programmes

several times a year to ensure that

people maintain their knowledge

and efficiency in responding to

emergencies.

For more on sports safety, please visit:

www.sportssafety.gov.sg

SPORTSPARTICIPATION:PARTNERS IN PARTICIPATIONSSC works with many different

partners in both the private and public

sectors to raise awareness, create

programmes, fund sporting events

and media productions. The SSC

enjoys good working relationships

with fellow government agencies

such as Ministry of Education,

Economic Development Board, the

Urban Redevelopment Authority,

the Land Transport Authority, the

Singapore Tourism Board, the Media

Development Authority, the Workforce

Development Agency, to name only a

few. Among the many valued partners

from the private sector are Standard

Chartered Bank, OCBC Bank, Aviva,

DBS/POSBank, OSIM, Fairmont Hotel,

Nestle Milo, StarHub, and ASICS.

ACCESS TO PLAYSingapore has an extraordinary range

of low-cost places to play sports.

The SSC alone has 25 swimming

complexes, 21 Sports & Recreation

Centres, 18 stadiums, 141 badminton

courts, 56 tennis courts, 11 football

pitches and more. Visitorship to our

facilities continues to rise with the

growing popularity of sports and the

dynamic new design of our facilities.

In calendar 2009, the number of visits

to our facilities rose 8% year on year

to 12.9 million, an all-time high. People

are coming more frequently in part

because of the fresh new designs of

our facilities. They are brighter, more

appealing, easier to use and filled with

more of what you want and need –

space to socialise or have fun playing

with friends and family. The Sengkang

Sports and Recreation Centre

(SRC), which shares space with the

Anchorvale Community Club (CC), is

the newest generation of sports facility

in Singapore.

This award-winning facility combines

the best in universal design principles Photo by John Heng

SSC File Photo


with an organic respect for the

surrounding natural environment. The

development serves as a community

gathering place – a place where people

of all ages and abilities can socialise,

relax and play sports. Even the pool is

accessible by wheelchair. The SRC-CC

is a tribute to socially responsible and

inclusive building design.

SSC does not own the majority of

sports venues in Singapore. In fact,

SSC owns only 6% of all sports facilities

but accounts for 11% of consumer use

of sports venues. Sporting Singapore

has access to a much broader range

of places to play sports when facilities

owned by other organisations are

factored in.

Many agencies work in partnership with

SSC to ensure widespread public use

of sports space. The MOE allows many

of its fields and indoor sports halls

to be used by the public. The Public

Utilities Board allows watersports on

specific reservoirs and waterways. The

National Parks Board (NParks) plans to

have 300km of park connector lanes in

place by 2015. Some 150km are already

in use by cyclists, inline skaters and

runners. Our new Sengkang SRC links

directly to one of NParks’ connector

lanes, providing a prime opportunity

for people to get out of the car and

into the sunshine.

SPORTS EXCELLENCEA life in sports excellence often seems

to be lived in single moments: a match,

a goal, a game, a victory, a near-miss, a

penalty, a podium, a medal.

In fact, sporting excellence in Singapore

is not defined in moments but in years

of meticulously coordinated effort by

the athlete, the SSC, the National Sports

Associations, the Ministry of Education,

the Singapore National Oylmpic

Council, the families of the athletes and

the community at large to produce a

podium-worthy athlete.

We want to see our young medallists

mature into adult competitors, capable

of handling the pressure and the

technical demands of competing at

the highest level. We plan for multiple

peaks, followed by rest & recovery and

a resumption of training towards new

goals. And as we work with the athlete,

we also are steadily improving our

sports science, coaching and officiating

networks to provide important support

for the development of the athlete and

the sport itself.

As a prudent investor of public funds,

we focus heavily, but not exclusively,

on targeted sports where we believe in

strong medal prospects.

Performances at recent major games

demonstrate that SSC programmes and

systems are producing the anticipated

results – in mainstream sports, in niche

sports and in disability sports. Not

only are we qualifying more athletes

Photo by Chan Bin Kan

MOESchoool Fields: 85 Indoor Sports Halls: 45 Free-To-Play Fields: 50


for major international games, we are

reaching the podium more.

Our sports excellence strategy

comprises:

• Closepartnershipswithourkey

partners, the National Sports

Associations.

• Acomprehensivesuiteofhigh

performance support and services to

athletes, coaches and officials.

NATIONAL SPORTS ASSOCIATIONSThe 64 National Sports Association

are the SSC’s primary partner in

developing elite athletes and sports

in Singapore. They cover a wide

range of sports from badminton to

cycling to fencing to golf to inline

skating to petanque to sailing

to woodball. Our newest NSA is

Special Olympics Singapore, which

is dedicated to providing sports

training and competitions for persons

with intellectual disabilities.

As the key agencies for promoting and

developing their respective sports in

Singapore, the NSAs play a vital role

in achieving the Sporting Singapore

vision. For this reason, SSC provides

wide-ranging support to NSAs to assist

in their development and to aid in the

delivery of national sporting objectives.

Sports Organisation ContactsArchery ARCHERY ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

www.singaporearchery.com

Athletics SINGAPORE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONwww.singaporeathletics.org.sg

Badminton SINGAPOREBADMINTONASSOCIATIONwww.singaporebadminton.org.sg

Baseball & Softball

SINGAPOREBASEBALL&SOFTBALLASSOCIATIONwww.sbsa.org

Basketball BASKETBALLASSOCIATIONOFSINGAPOREwww.bas.org.sg

Bodybuilding SINGAPOREBODYBUILDING&FITNESSFEDERATIONwww.sbbf.org.sg

Bowling SINGAPOREBOWLINGFEDERATIONwww.singaporebowling.org.sg

Boxing SINGAPOREAMATEURBOXINGASSOCIATIONwww.saba.org.sg

Canoe SINGAPORE CANOE FEDERATIONwww.scf.org.sg

Chess SINGAPORE CHESS FEDERATIONwww.singaporechess.org.sg

Contract Bridge SINGAPORECONTRACTBRIDGEASSOCIATIONwww.scba.org.sg

Cricket SINGAPORECRICKETASSOCIATIONwww.singaporecricket.org

Cuesports CUESPORTSSINGAPOREwww.cuesports.org.sg

Cycling SINGAPORE CYCLING FEDERATIONwww.cycling org.sg

Dancesport SINGAPORE DANCESPORT FEDERATION www.dancesport.org.sg

Darts SINGAPORE DARTS ASSOCIATION

Disability Sports SINGAPOREDISABILITYSPORTSCOUNCILwww.sdsc.org.sg

Dragon Boat SINGAPOREDRAGONBOATASSOCIATIONwww.sdba.org.sg

Equestrian EQUESTRIANFEDERATIONOFSINGAPOREwww.efs.org.sg

Fencing FENCING SINGAPOREwww.fencingsingapore.org.sg

Floorball SINGAPOREFLOORBALLASSOCIATIONwww.sfa.sg

Football FOOTBALLASSOCIATIONOFSINGAPOREwww.fas.org.sg

Gateball [email protected]

Golf (Men) SINGAPORE GOLF ASSOCIATIONwww.sga.org.sg

Gymnastics SINGAPORE GYMNASTICSwww.singaporesgymnastics.org.sg

Handball HANDBALLFEDERATIONOFSINGAPOREwww.hfs.org.sg

Hockey SINGAPOREHOCKEYFEDERATIONwww.hfs.org.sg

Ice Hockey SINGAPOREICEHOCKEYASSOCIATIONwww.singaporehockey.org

Ice Skating SINGAPOREICESKATINGASSOCIATIONwww.sisa.org.sg

Judo SINGAPOREJUDOFEDERATIONwww.singaporejudo.org.sg

Karate SINGAPOREKARATE-DOFEDERATIONwww.singaporekarate.org

Kendo SINGAPOREKENDOCLUB

Lawn Bowls BOWLSSINGAPOREwww.bowlssingapore.org.sg

Sports Organisation ContactsLawn Bowls BOWLSSINGAPORE

www.bowlssingapore.org.sgLife Saving THE SINGAPORE LIFE SAVING SOCIETY

www.slss.org.sgModern Pentathlon

SINGAPORE MODERN PENTATHLON ASSOCIATIONwww.singaporepentathlon.org.sg

Motor Sports SINGAPORE MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATIONwww.smsa.org.sg

Mountaineering SINGAPOREMOUNTAINEERINGFEDERATIONwww.smf.org.sg

Muay Thai [email protected]

Netball NETBALLSINGAPOREwww.netball.org.sg

Petanque SPORTSBOULESSINGAPOREwww.sportsboules.org.sg

Pickleball [email protected]

Powerboat SINGAPOREPOWERBOATASSOCIATIONwww.singaporepowerboat.com

Rollersports ROLLERSPORTS SINGAPOREwww.inssas.org.sg

Rowing SINGAPORE ROWING ASSOCIATIONwww.rowing.org.sg

Rugby SINGAPORERUGBYUNIONwww.sru.org.sg

Sailing SINGAPORE SAILING FEDERATIONwww.sailing.org.sg

Sepak Takraw SINGAPORESEPAKTAKRAWFEDERATION(PERSES)www.sepaktakraw.org

Shooting SINGAPORE SHOOTING ASSOCIATIONwww.singaporeshooting.org

Silat SINGAPORESILATFEDERATION(PERSISI)[email protected]

Special Olympics

SPECIAL OLYMPICS SINGAPOREwww.specialolympics.org.sg

Squash SINGAPORESQUASHRACKETSASSOCIATIONwww.ssra.org.sg

Swimming SINGAPORE SWIMMING ASSOCIATIONwww.swimming.org.sg

Table Tennis SINGAPORETABLETENNISASSOCIATIONwww.stta.org.sg

Taekwondo SINGAPORETAEKWONDOFEDERATIONwww.stf.sg

Tennis SINGAPORE TENNIS ASSOCIATIONwww.singtennis.org.sg

Triathlon TRIATHLON ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPOREwww.triathlonsingapore.org

Underwater Sports

[email protected] /[email protected]

Volleyball VOLLEYBALLASSOCIATIONOFSINGAPOREwww.vas.org.sg

Water Ski SINGAPOREWATERSKI&WAKEBOARD FEDERATIONwww.swwf.org.sg

Weightlifting SINGAPORE WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATIONwww.swf.org.sg

Weiqi SINGAPORE WEIQI [email protected]

Wrestling WRESTLING FEDERATION OF SINGAPOREwww.swf.org.sg

Wu shu SINGAPOREWUSHUDRAGON&LIONDANCEFEDERATIONwww.wuzong.com

Xiangqi SINGAPORE XIANGQI GENERAL ASSOCIATIONwww.sixga.org

64 NATIONAL SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS

Photo by Chan Bin Kan/Action Images

Photo by Zainal Halim/Action Images


HIGH PERFORMANCE SUPPORTSSC provides high performance

support to elite athletes on both the

Youth Development and National

Squads through the Singapore

Sports Institute (SSI). The SSI offers a

comprehensive suite of professional

services and support to athletes, coaches

and officials in the following areas:

OlympicPathwayProgramme(OPP)Getting to the Olympic Games takes

more than simple talent. It takes

discipline, faith and lots of long-term

support. The OPP is a long-term

programme specifically targeted at

Singaporean athletes with the potential

to win medals at the Olympic Games.

The OPP is an offshoot of Project 0812,

which was first announced in late 2006.

Following the success of the Women’s

Table Tennis at the Beijing Olympic

Games in 2008, OPP was set up to

extend support for athletes looking to

medal at 2012.

The programme now includes athletes

expected to peak in 2016 in Rio de

Janeiro as well. Through the OPP

funding, elite athletes are provided with

extra training support to take part in

additional international competitions.

The funds are also used to retain elite

coaching and acquire equipment.

Eleven athletes in six sports are

currently receiving support through

OPP. The six sports are: badminton,

fencing, sailing, shooting, swimming

and table tennis. The qualifying criteria

are different for each sport. Athletes on

the OPP are not guaranteed a spot at

the Olympics.

SportsScienceandMedicine(SSM)SSC’s SSM optimises athlete

performance through the application

of the latest sports science expertise

and technology. The professional

team works with athletes on strength

& conditioning, injury prevention,

recovery and rehabilitation and major

multi sports games support, e.g. the

recovery centre.

TraininggrantsTraining grants help defray the cost of

training, for example, personal training

equipment and apparel, expenses for

public transport and meals. The grants

amount to a maximum of S$7,000 per

year for top individual athletes and

S$60,000 for top teams.

GrantforLossofWages(GLOW)For working national athletes unable

to get full-pay unrecorded leave for

the period of Competition and/or

major games and Centralised training

stints, in preparation for major games/

competitions. Grants amount up to

a maximum of S$2,000 per year for a

total of six months.

Trainingand/orEducationgrantTraining and education grants in

the form of scholarships are offered

to offset costs associated with high

performance programmes and/or

skills upgrading towards athletes’

professional aspirations after sports.

Grants go up to a maximum of

S$50,000 per year for top athletes.

InsurancepoliciesThe SSC purchases insurance policies

that cover all national athletes for

injuries sustained during national

training and competition held locally or

overseas.

CoachesandTechnicalOfficialsDeveloping high performance

professionals in coaching and

officiating is not just a priority for SSC.

It’s a necessity.

We need officials and coaches who

are using the best practices and

professional training programmes

available in sport. Our professionals

must be able to coach and officiate

at the highest levels of competition –

world championships and the Olympic

Games.Photo by Chan Bin Kan

SSC File Photo


The National Coaching Accreditation

Programme (NCAP), as outlined in

Sports Participation, is the foundation

for developing elite coaches and

high performance directors. Coaches

who have advanced through NCAP

are eligible for our high performance

grant programmes, which will fund

specialised, sport-specific training for

elite coaches.

The High Performance Coaching

Programme is open to all NSA-funded

coaches. The programme will fund

up to S$6,000 per coach annually

to pursue professional upgrading

opportunities internationally. To date,

coaches from athletics, badminton,

basketball, table-tennis, sailing and

swimming have received funding

through the programme.

The Elite Coaching Programme

prepares High Performance Coaches

to take on top leadership roles in

sports coaching. These coaches,

in conjunction with the NSAs, will

identify areas in the sport that need

improvement and structure. Coaches

will be sent for a two-year programme

and return to assume leadership roles

such as Head Coach or Technical

Director in the future. Coaches in the

Elite Programme will be funded up to

S$15,000 annually for two years.

We also have made great strides in

the development of officials. A total of

15 technical officials were organised

and selected by their International

Federations to officiate at the Beijing

2008 Olympic and Paralymic Games.

Having international class officials

enhances the prestige of Singapore,

the status of the respective sports

associations and, most importantly, the

standards of play.

CAREERANDEDUCATIONPROGRAMMESSSC believes in looking at the long-

term holistic development of athletes

during and after their active years of

sports competition. We believe that a

career in sports does not come at the

expense of a career after sports. SSC

and its partners provide the following

services to athletes to achieve this

objective:

• TheProgrammeforAthlete’sCareer

and Education (PACE) is an initiative

by the Singapore National Olympic

Council supported by SSC where

we work with an external partner

(Adecco) to provide career advice,

interview training, resume writing

advice and job placement services.

• SSChiresexternalvendorsto

conduct career education and

counselling to balance studies and

sports. Courses include personal

finance and time management. We

help job match athletes with our

network of corporate partners and

also provide letters of support for

athletes applying to Institutes of

Higher Learning.

Photo by Lawrence Goh


SPORTSINDUSTRYSingapore may be a small city, but the

SSC has a big vision for sports industry

in the coming years. As we continue

to put this vision into action, we will

transform the way Singaporeans value

sport, and we will transform the way

the sporting world sees Singapore.

Change is already underway. Over

the past few years, we have set new

benchmarks in service excellence and

innovation in the development of new

sports infrastructure, events, business

and human capabilities. This focus on

investment is good for sports, and it’s

good for the nation.

Besides boosting momentum in sports

participation and sports excellence,

our success in developing sports

industry will enhance Singapore’s

position as a global city. Equally

important, it will create significant

employment opportunities, in both

short-term jobs and long-term career

pathways.

Moving forward, the SSC will develop

the entire value chain of sports

industry, and continue to invest in

infrastructure and capabilities, with a

view towards a self-sustaining sports

industry ecosystem.

Increasingly, people in Singapore are

working in sports. Some work for the

SSC. Some people work in athlete

development, some coach sports

lessons and some train the coaches.

Some work as lifeguards, trainers and

managers at the thousands of sporting

facilities across the country. Some

work for sports products retailers

and manufacturers. Some people run

events management companies, some

work in sports media companies, some

work in sports marketing companies

and some work in international sports

organisations.

Wherever you want to be in sports,

that’s where we will be, too.

SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURESingaporeSportsHub: Scheduled

to open in April 2014, the Sports

Hub will be a fully integrated sports,

entertainment and lifestyle hub. The

Sports Hub was financed through an

innovative Private-Public Partnership

financial model, which subsequently

won several international awards.

The Singapore Sports Hub is expected

Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Photo by John Heng


to be the world’s only land and

water sports centre, with integrated

programming and opportunities for

elite athletes and recreational-leisure

participants. Located near the Marina

Bay financial district, the Sports Hub

will feature the following facilities:

•Anew55,000-seatNationalStadium

with a retractable roof, individually

cooled seats and 80 hospitality

suites. The stadium field will be

capable of hosting international

football, rugby, athletics and cricket.

•A6,000-seatindoor,world-class

Aquatic Centre (3,000 permanent

seats, with the capability to 6,000

through temporary seating).

Adjacent to the centre will be a

roof-top leisure water facility for

relaxation and play.

•A3,000-seatmulti-purpose,indoor

arena, scalable and flexible in layout.

•AnoutdoorWaterSportsCentre

will host canoeing, kayaking, rowing,

dragon boating, wakeboarding and

waterskiing.

•Arefurbished12,000-seatSingapore

Indoor Stadium.

•41,000sqmofcommercialspacefor

food and beverage.

•ASportsInformationandResource

Centre with a Sports Library, Sports

Museum and a 300-seat black box

theatre.

•Afully-equippedtrainingspacefor

international teams in specific sports.

For teams coming to train, settling

in at the Sports Hub will be as easy

as turning on the lights.

The Sports Hub is being developed

next to Marina Bay and is poised to ride

on the wave of exciting developments

in the district such as the Marina Bay

Sands, Marina Barrage, Singapore Flyer

and the floating platform.

SportsandRecreationCentres(SRC)SSC continues to advance the design

and development of community

sports and recreation centres across

Singapore. The Pasir Ris Sports &

Recreation Centre, our newest SRC,

opened its doors to the public in mid-

2011. Pasir Ris represents the latest

generation of SRC being developed

by SSC. Built to universal design

principles, Pasir Ris also is the first SRC

designed to limit our carbon footprint.

It has environmentally friendly and

energy-saving features such as a

rainwater-harvesting system to irrigate

surrounding plant life; vertical ‘green’

walls and landscaping to reduce

ambient heat and provide shading;

and solar panels for energy generation.

Every centimetre of the roof is covered

with the solar panels, which can

generate enough electricity to power

50% of the annual energy consumption

of the sports hall.

Equally important, the SRC dovetails

with the overall commitment by

the Pasir Ris community to provide

residents with opportunities to enjoy a

healthy sporting lifestyle. Pasir Ris Park

is a hotspot for water sports, cycling

and in-line skating enthusiasts. For

younger adventurers, the Children’s

Playground continues to entice with

attractive features like the giant

space-nets, cableways and innovative

play stations. Pasir Ris also recently

launched a 1.1km cycling track to

cater to its broad base of cycling fans.

Towards the end of 2012, residents

can look forward to a 13.3km cycling

network.

SPORTS EVENTSIn the past few years, Singapore has

earned a reputation for providing


SSC File Photo


service excellence and innovation in

events hosting. We hold a lot of events:

more than 40 marquee events and

an average of 600-plus community

sporting events annually.

From the high-minded inaugural

Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games

to the professional Formula 1 night

race, Singapore has delivered first-

class events as promised. In golf, the

best players on the planet have come

to play at the Barclays Singapore

Open and the HSBC Women’s

Champions events in Singapore. In

2010, the Singapore-based Asian

Tour introduced the Handa Classic

Singapore to showcase many of Asia’s

top golfers, including Singapore’s

Mardan Marmat and Lam Chih Bing.

Singapore has been active in

developing marquee events in other

sports as well. Launched in Singapore

five years ago, the Aviva Ironman 70.3

has drawn competitors and spectators

from around the world. OCBC Cycle

Singapore, another homegrown event,

continues to grow in prestige and

popularity.

Among our new event launches was

the Standard Chartered Marathon

Singapore (SCMS) in 2010 – a

three-route race that captured the

imagination of some 60,000 registrants.

The different routes took runners

through the iconic neighbourhoods

of Singapore: Sentosa, Orchard Road,

Chinatown, Marina Bay and East Coast

Park. The marathon was a convincing

win with sponsors who contributed

more funding to the SCMS than any

other running event.

“The race is very much part of the

Standard Chartered brand promise to

be here for good,” says Ray Ferguson,

the bank’s Regional Chief Executive,

Singapore & South-East Asia. “The

passion, courage and determination of

the runners at our marathon resonate

strongly with what we stand for as an

organisation.”

Singapore remains one of the busiest

cities in Asia for sports business.

While the international fanfare of the

Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games

has subsided, the local sports sector

continues to grow. The Lion City

Cup, one of the oldest youth football

tournaments in the region, reignited

the Singapore 2010 spirit with a host

of top-class youth teams from around

the globe through the support of

title sponsor Canon and coverage by

StarHub cable television.

Photo By Mindy Tan/Action Images Photo By Mindy Tan/Action Images


“In line with our corporate philosophy

of kyosei, we are excited to play a part

in the development of our youth sports

teams. We recognise that they will be

our future pride and we want to be a

part of their journey,” says Andrew Koh,

Senior Director and General Manager

of Consumer Imaging & Information

Division, Canon Singapore.

In July 2011, Mission Foods chose

Singapore as its springboard into

Asia for its wraps and tortillas when it

signed on as title sponsor for the World

Netball Championships. The netball

championships were exactly what the

global company had in mind—a cost-

effective, marketing platform to create

massive brand awareness for foods

typically bought by women, not only in

Singapore but throughout Asia.

Come December 2011, Michezo Group

will hold the Singapore Women’s

Tennis Exhibition, featuring six of the

world’s top players. Headlining the

event will be new US Open champion

Samanth Stosur. There are hopes as

well for a World Tennis Association

tournament in late 2011 or early 2012.

The last time Singapore hosted a

high-level tennis tournament was the

Heineken Open in 2000, which was

the equivalent of an Association of

Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour

250 event. Michezo also has raised the

possibility of opening a tennis academy

in Singapore in 2012.

Next year, Singaporeans can look

forward to the inaugural Singapore

Games. Ten sports will be featured

at the Singapore Games: Athletics,

Badminton, Basketball, Bowling,

Dragon Boating, Football, Netball,

Sepak Takraw, Swimming and

Table Tennis. Along with the Inter-

Constituency Games, which have now

been renamed the Community Games;

Singaporeans can brace themselves

for a seven-month sporting festival

right at the doorsteps of their own

neighbourhood.

With the focus at Singapore Games

on high-level participation, elite

athletes will not be eligible to take

part. However they can lend their

support and guidance to athletes

representing their estates. Co-

organised by the People’s Association

and the Singapore Sports Council,

the two-week long biennial games

will bring together inter-constituency

communities, families, neighborhoods

and schools from all ages, races and

estates.

Apart from encouraging a healthy

and sporting lifestyle, the Singapore

Games will forge a more integrated

sense of community bonding, ignited

through our passion for sport.

SPORTSBUSINESSSingapore is home to many sports

marketing companies doing business

in Asia, including companies such

as Global Brands Group, MP & Silva,

Football Media Services, Dentsu,

SportFive, IMG and World Sports

Group. Many sports products




companies also have significant

activities in Singapore. Nike Inc has its

Southeast Asian regional headquarters

and distribution centre in Singapore

while its affiliate Converse has its

global trading operations based in

the country as well. Life Fitness, which

makes fitness equipment, runs its Asian

Design Centre in Singapore – its only

significant R&D centre outside of the

United States.

Special Olympics Asia Pacific is

now based in Singapore, and the

International Table Tennis Federation

moved its Asia Pacific marketing

headquarters to Singapore from

Beijing in early 2011. ITTF will also

coordinate all its international

marketing operations from Singapore.

In October 2011, Singapore hosted the

Volkswagen Women’s World Cup, and

ITTF is committed to holding more

world-class table tennis tournaments in

Singapore as part of its investment in

the city.

We also have seen promising results in

sports media as well. Our Sports Media

Fund, a joint venture with the Media

Development Authority, triggered the

creation of 592 hours of programming

in 2009. For the Singapore Asian Youth

Games 2009, more than 120 hours

of programming were produced.

For S$1 of support from the Sports

Media Fund, the sports and broadcast

companies pumped in another S$2 of

media business spending. It’s worth

noting that the fund does more than

create new content. Projects financed

in part through the fund generate new

work and much-needed experience

for aspiring sports cameramen,

photographers, sportscasters, sound

technicians, film & video editors and

writers.

2011 1. AVIVA Ironman 70.3 Singapore 2011

2. Singapore ATP Challenger 2011

3. OCBC Cycle Singapore 2011

4. National Cheerleading Championship 2011

5. 44th Singapore International (Bowling) Open 2011

6. National School Games 2011

7: Mission Foods World Netball Championships 2011 Singapore

8. World Canoe Marathon Championship 2011

9. Volkswagon 2011 Women’s World Cup Singapore

10. Singapore Cricket Club 20/20 Cricket Tournament 2011

11. CIMB Singapore Women’s Squash Masters 2011

12. Z1 Pro-Fencing 2011

13. Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby Sevens 2011

14. Mettle Games 2011

15. Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011

YEAR EVENTS

2010 1. National School Games 2010

2. Game On with Milo (2010)

3. NBA Basketball Without Borders2010

4. National Cheerleading Championship 2010

5. HSBC Asian 5 Nations 2010

6. Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games

7. Z1 Pro-Fencing 2010

8. Mettle Games 2010

9. Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby Sevens 2010

10. Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010

YEAR EVENTS

Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images


THE HISTORY OF SPORTING SINGAPORE

HUMANCAPABILITYDEVELOPMENTAs the sports sector grows, so will

the demand for skilled professionals

experienced in sports. To develop our

human capital, we have adopted a four-

pronged approach by:

•Anticipatingdemandforsports

industry jobs in view of major sports

projects that will impact manpower

needs

• Ensuringanadequatesupplyof

manpower with the right skill sets

and competencies to come into the

market at the right time

•Creatingjobs

•Continuouslyupgradingexisting

personnel in sports industry

As part of our commitment to

raising the standards in the sporting

professions, we introduced in 2011

the National Standards for Youth

Sports. Designed to protect the

rights of youth playing sports, the

standards were developed for use

by coaches and instructors, officials,

administrators, sponsors, media,

parents, guardians and educators. At

the heart of the National Standards

was the unequivocal belief that every

youth should be given the opportunity

to have a positive experience in sport.

Long term, the National Standards for

Youth Sports will have a tremendous

influence on the sporting professions.

At the same time, SSC has worked

with Institutes of Higher Learning to

ensure we have people with the right

skills to do the work when we need

them. In 1999 Singapore had only

one institution offering four sports-

related courses. Today we have 10

institutions with more than 34 sports-

related courses, offering certificates,

diplomas and undergrad and graduate

courses. And this is what we want more

of – because demand for competent,

capable sports personnel is going to

keep growing.

SSC also is collaborating with fellow

government agencies such as the

Workforce Development Agency,

the Economic Development Board

and Media Development Authority

to develop manpower capabilities,

employment opportunities and

professional expertise. We have signed

MOUs with tertiary schools to create

more opportunities for students to

learn about the business of sports.

For Singaporeans working and

investing in sports, it’s a big universe.

As our long-term strategies begin

to produce results, the Sporting

Singapore universe is going to get a lot

bigger.

Photo by Jere ChongPhoto by Jere Chong

The Story of Sporting Singapore│44 43│The Story of Sporting Singapore

THE HISTORY OF SPORTING SINGAPORETHE STORY OF SPORTING SINGAPOREFROM THE PAST, COMES OURFUTURESingapore has always had a sporting

spirit, a sporting life. We have

celebrated sporting heroes in every

decade. Among the names resonating

from our past: Tan Howe Liang, C.

Kunalan, Chee Swee Lee, K. Jayamani,

Junie Sng, Ang Peng Siong, Joscelin

Yeo—and our footballers from the days of

the Malaysia Cup and the Kallang Roar.

Thus, when the Committee on Sporting

Singapore (CoSS) produced its 40

recommendations on the creation of ‘A

Sporting Singapore’ in 2001, it looked

deeply into our past even as it looked

into our future. CoSS recognised

the profound impact that our early

champions had on our community

bonding and our national pride. These

athletes were driven by passion alone,

with little official support.

However the CoSS marked a tectonic

shift in the government’s position on

sport. CoSS forecasted in no uncertain

terms what sport could do for us, not

just as individuals but as communities

and as a nation. With CoSS, the

government recognised that a new

century was an opportunity to recreate

the sports paradigm for Singapore.

CoSS boldly called for extraordinary

levels of policy support, programming

and funding from a whole-of-

government platform. As the operating

arm of the Ministry of Community

Development, Youth and Sports

(MCYS), Singapore Sports Council

(SSC) was the natural choice as the lead

driver of the CoSS recommendations.

THE GENESISThe authors—all committed members

of Singapore’s sporting fraternity—

thus set in motion a long-term change

in the way Singaporeans perceived,

played and enjoyed sports. With their 10-

year forecasts, they were literally planting

the seeds of a new sporting culture for

the good of the nation. They believed

unequivocally that a sporting culture

could make Singapore a better country,

a better place to live, work and play.

CoSS called for sports infrastructure

such as a dedicated sports school,

new generation sports & recreation

centres, a sharing of sporting resources

by all stakeholders and a modern

sports complex capable of hosting

world-class events and serving as an

icon for the country’s sporting dreams.

CoSS addressed the need for a well-

capitalised sports business sector to

provide investment and viable career

pathways (and not just entry-level jobs)

to help finance the growth of sports

over the long term.

The report set performance targets

for both sports participation and

sport excellence. CoSS stressed the

need for consistent funding for our

National Sports Associations (NSAs),

emphasising good governance

in financial management and

transparency in athlete development

and selection policies. Strong,

professional NSAs could help

drive sustainable growth in high

participation and performance along

with sports business through the

creation of sporting events.

With such a broad agenda, CoSS

pushed for a massive upgrade in

funding support, beginning with an

initial commitment of S$500 million for

the first five years and a subsequent

investment of S$350 million until fiscal

year-end 2011. The funding advocated

by CoSS was never simply about

chasing medals. It was about initiating

cultural change in our country.

Sports Museum File Photo SSC File Photo


ONWARD, WE GOIn late 2006, then-Parliamentary

Secretary Teo Ser Luck from MCYS

formed the Sporting Culture Committee

(SCC) and conducted a de facto mid-

term review of how far we had come.

By then, the landscape was already

very different. The Singapore Sports

School was welcoming its third tranche

of students, and other schools were

changing their attitudes towards sport.

The Ministry of Education (MOE)

had embarked on a dual use scheme

with the Singapore Sports Council to

share sports field and internal sports

halls. SSC also was working on similar

schemes with National Parks Board

and Public Utilities Board to provide

affordable access for the public at

large to play more sports.

In 2007, SSC and MOE began

a partnership to expand the

opportunities available to students.

Not only did the Sports Education

Programme (SEP) strengthen the

working relationship between the two

government bodies, it opened the

doors for more than 250,000 children

and youth annually to play more sports

at school. SEP would also become an

important vehicle by which SSC could

elevate standards for coaching and

sports safety in the industry.

In May 2008, when the Sporting

Culture Committee released its 23

recommendations, Singapore was on

its way to winning its second Olympic

medal as well as its first gold medal at

the Paralympic Games—and, indeed,

the first gold medal ever won by an

Asian at the Paralympics. As a result of

our improved development pathways

for athletes, we also were qualifying

more athletes and winning more

medals at all the Major Games than

ever before in our history. The NSAs

were seeing growth in participation,

which in turn fuelled their high

performance plans.

Early in 2008, MCYS had chosen the

design and developer to build the

Singapore Sports Hub on the site of

National Stadium. Capable of hosting

international-class athletics, cricket,

football and rugby, the Sports Hub

would be a critical component of

Singapore’s plans to become the

leading sports city in Asia.

A PLACE FOR HEROESUnique in the world as a land and water

sports leisure complex, the Sports Hub

would revitalise the Kallang Riverside

by attracting new investment by

corporates and consumers. The close

proximity to the Marina Bay commercial

district would add to its appeal as a

regional sporting destination. Equally

important, said then Minister for


Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishan looking at

our aspirations in sport, the Singapore

Sports Hub would be “a place for

heroes.”

To maximise the conversion of athlete

potential into performance, SCC

recommended the creation of a world-

class sports institute to be housed at

the planned Singapore Sports Hub.

It would provide the best in training,

competition venues and performance

services.

From 2008, MOE launched its first

Junior Sports Academies to provide

talented young athletes in specific

sports with opportunities to be

mentored by quality coaches over

a multi-year period. The first Junior

Academies focused on athletics,

badminton, swimming, table tennis and

wu shu. Subsequently, MOE added

Junior Academies in fencing, football,

gymnastics and shooting and three

Youth Academies for older students.

In 2009, Prime Minister Lee Hsien

Loong opened the Sengkang Sports

and Recreation Centre—the first of

a new generation of sports facility

planned by SSC to better serve the

people of Singapore. Praised for SSC File Photo

Photo by Aundry Gan


performance programming. Through

the use of multi-year planning, the

NSAs aimed to enhance the progress

being made by our athletes.

By 2010, another recommendation

by CoSS and SCC had seen fruition.

Several sports-related companies had

Construction Authority. Since then,

Sengkang SRC has become a town

gathering place where people of all

ages and abilities can socialise and

enjoy a sporting lifestyle. Annual

visitorship at SSC facilities hit a peak of

12.9 million at year-end March 2010.

Later in 2009, the SSC called on the

NSAs to develop multi-year spending

plans and strategies for sport and

athlete development. With help from

the SSC performance managers, the

NSAs began producing integrated

frameworks for high participation,

talent identification and high

set up shop in Singapore, establishing

a sports ecosystem. Nike, Converse,

MP & Silva and Life Fitness all had

significant operations in the city as

did World Sports Group and ESPN.

The Special Olympics already had

an office in Singapore as well and,

in late 2010, the International Table

Tennis Federation announced plans to

relocate its Asia Pacific headquarters

from Beijing and its international

marketing operations.

INSPIRING THE NATIONAnticipating the end of the CoSS

funding in 2011, the Sporting Culture

Committee had advocated additional

financial support between 2011-2015

to maintain growth in our inclusive

sporting community, to develop a

dynamic sports industry to generate

economic opportunities and to groom

our own sporting heroes to inspire the

nation.

Like CoSS, SCC also called for

greater inter-agency cooperation

to develop Singapore’s sporting

youth. In May 2010, MOE unveiled

a new development framework for

physical education and sports, a

sign of its deeper commitment to

youth sports. In addition to the focus

on talent development through the

sports academies, MOE introduced

new initiatives in mass participation

programmes and in specialised sports

programmes. It also created a new

Physical Education and Sports Teacher

Academy (PESTA) to build a strong

corps of quality physical education

teachers and instructors.

Every recommendation implemented

as a result of CoSS and SCC would be

put to the test as the country prepared

to host the Singapore 2010 Youth

Olympic Games. With less than two

its inclusivity and universal design

principles, the venue was the first

collaboration between SSC and the

People’s Association.

The shared property received the

“Universal Design Award for the Built

Environment” from the Building and

Photo by Alphonsus Chern/SPH-SYOGOC


Index in December 2010 revealed

that 57% of all people surveyed were

playing sports or doing a physical

activity at least once a week—up 11

points from 2009.

As a result of the work through CoSS

and SCC, our sporting culture in the

past decade has undergone a massive

transformation. Sporting Singapore

has good reason to be proud of its

accomplishments—and there is more

to come.

SSC and the People’s Association

are already working to host the

first Singapore National Games in

September 2012. Recommended by the

Sporting Culture Committee report,

the Singapore National Games will

drive excitement and enthusiasm over

local sporting talent and events. At the

same time, the National Games will

help develop our events management

expertise and experienced volunteers

in addition to providing more

opportunities for corporate sponsors.

Nonetheless, the world as we know it

is changing rapidly, both at home and

overseas. A strong sporting culture

can help us navigate the challenges

to come. We must not take advances

made in the past 10 years for granted.

Sporting culture must be seeded with

new ideas, impetus and investment.

Most recently, SSC launched a ground-

breaking new programme to train

preschool teachers and caregivers

in Fundamental Movement Skills for

children as young as 18 months.

NURTURINGASPORTINGLANDSCAPEIt is critical that we engage people

beyond our sporting community in the

Vision 2030 process if we are to use

sports as means to better the lives of all

Singaporeans. Everyone has a sporting

spirit, a sporting life.

Thus, Vision 2030 is neither a beginning

nor an end for Sporting Singapore.

It is a renewal of our government’s

commitment to sport. Moreover, it

is a clarion call for our population, as

individuals and communities, to make

their voices heard on where we need to

go in future. What should our sporting

landscape look like to best serve

Singapore and Singaporeans?

Sport is not an end in itself. Sport is

one of Singapore’s best strategies for

nation-building. Vision 2030 is about

Real People, True Sports. Tenacious and

resilient, passionate and compassionate,

and always inclusive society with

opportunities for everyone. Vision 2030

is living better through sports.

years of prep time, Singapore 2010

opened to exuberant fanfare and

international acclaim on 14 August

2010.

Some 3,600 athletes from 205 National

Olympic Committees took part in 26

Olympic sports as competitor—and

in a series of cultural and education

programmes as friends. MOE had

incorporated Olympic Education

modules into the school curriculum

in 2009 to impress the values of

Excellence, Friendship and Respect

upon local student athletes and the

general population. Some 20,000 local

and international volunteers worked

round the clock to ensure the success

of the games.

People snapped up tickets to watch

and cheer for their local heroes and

international friends. Singapore’s

athletes won two silver medals in

swimming and table tennis—and five

bronze medals, two in taekwondo,

one in archery and one in windsurfing;

however it was the third-place finish by

our Young Cubs in football that delivered

the most potent reminder of how sport

can ignite and unite a nation. People

across Singapore celebrated the Cubs’

bronze medals with gusto and pride.

THE GROWTH OF A SPORTINGCULTUREOur enthusiasm for sports didn’t

evaporate with the close of Singapore

2010. Indeed, the National Sports Photo by Tilt Pte Ltd

Milestones│52 51│Milestones

MILESTONES

1973July:National Stadium opens seven

years after Minister for Social Affairs

Othman Wok drove in the first pile on

December 7, 1966. Built at a cost of $50

million, National Stadium is a new icon

for the country. The complex covers

200 acres and can seat 55,000 people.

“We are a nation of predominantly

young people. Young and growing

people must have facilities to develop

their bodies and minds. Sport,

therefore, must be an essential feature

of our national way of life,” says Mr

Wok.

Singapore hosts the 7th Southeast

Asian Peninsular Games, with seven

nations participating in 16 sports. In

medal count, Singapore ranks 2nd

with 45 gold medals compared with

Thailand’s 47 medals. In total medals,

Singapore places 1st with 140 medals,

compared to Malaysia’s 115 medals.

Singapore subsequently hosted the

12th Southeast Asian Games in 1983

(as a substitute for Brunei, which was

preparing for independence) and again

in 1993.

October:The Singapore Sports

Council is formed through an

amalgamation of the existing National

Sports Promotion Board and the

National Stadium Corporation.

1977First fitness park opens at MacRitchie

Reservoir.

1978Singapore introduces the National

Survival Swimming Award Scheme,

which will be the foundation for learn-

to-swim programmes for the next three

decades.

SSC introduces Sports Awards for

sportsboy and sportsgirl. Sports

Awards for Sportsman, Sportswoman

and Coach had been introduced in

1967.

1982January: The National Physical Fitness

Award Scheme (NAPFA) is launched as

a standardised assessment of overall

fitness for the general population and

to stimulate interest in physical fitness.

Swimmer Ang Peng Siong achieves

the world’s fastest time for the 50m

freestyle event.

1983Singapore stages 12th Southeast Asian

Games.

1987SSC implements the Sports Excellence

Assistance Programme (SEAP).

1989December: Singapore Indoor Stadium

is officially opened by then Prime

Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Designed by

Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the

stadium was developed at a cost of

S$90 million.

1991Singapore hosts the World FIQ Bowling

Championship for the first time.

1992Implementation of Sports Excellence

Assistance Programme for Schools

(SEAPS).

Launch of the National Healthy

Lifestyle Campaign by PM Goh Chok

Tong.

1993Singapore stages the 17th Southeast

Asian Games. Fourteen year-old

Joscelin Yeo makes a big-splash debut

at the Games by winning nine gold

medals and smashing five records

in the 50m free, 200m breast, 400m

medley relay, 100m butterfly and 100m

breaststroke.

Sports Museum File Photo







1994October:At the Asian Games in

Hiroshima, 26 year-old Ben Tan

produces Singapore’s first gold medal

in sailing. The partnership of Siew

Shaw Her and Charles Lim also wins

a silver in sailing. Joscelin Yeo sets a

new National record in the 100 metre

butterfly with a time of 1.01.62, and

picks up a bronze medal. Bowler Grace

Young also wins a bronze medal. A

third bronze is picked up by the men’s

team in sepak takraw. Women in the

martial arts also take bronze medals:

Tan Mui Buay and Chiew Hui Yan in

separate wu shu events.

1996SSC launches Sports-for-All campaign

and inaugurates the Sport for Life Walk

test.

Opening of the First Regional Sports

and Fitness Centre (RSFC) at Clementi.

1998The Singapore Mountaineering Team

conquers Mt Everest.

The Singapore National Football Team

wins its first international tournament,

the Tiger Cup, organized by the

ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).

December: Sixteen-year-old Joan

Huang Shiqi partners Naomi Tan, in the

women’s 420 Dinghy Class, to win the

Gold Medal at the 13th Asian Games in

Thailand.

1999SSC and General Administration of

Sports from China sign MOU to share

sports knowledge and best practices.

The late Wong Peng Soon, world-

class badminton player, is voted as the

Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century by

the Singapore Press.

The Singapore Mountaineering Team

makes a successful expedition to

Antarctica.

2000SPEX 21 was implemented to set out

strategic plans and directions for high

performance athletes and sports in

Singapore with the aim to raise the

overall standards of sports and the

competitive spirit of Singaporeans.

2001April:Singapore kegler Jesmine Ho,

wins the Women’s title at the inaugural

World Ranking Masters Championship.

April: Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan

launches Team Singapore, the united

identity of elite athletes, coaches and

officials from Singapore, to represent

the country in major multi-sport Games

and international competitions. Team

Singapore is characterised with three

core attributes: Pride, Performance

and Perseverance. Not only will the

new brand inspire future generations

of competitive athletes to excel in

sports, Team Singapore will galvanise

and connect the community overall in

participation in sports.

June: After six months of a

comprehensive study of the local

sporting scene, the Committee on

Sporting Singapore (CoSS) tables

a report that will change the way

Singaporeans perceive, play and

enjoy sports. Emphasising the need

for a holistic approach to sports

development, the report delivers

recommendations and strategies to

grow participation, excellence and

business. Moreover, the report argues

that sports can help build the nation

by developing the following: national

pride and international status; a

healthy, resilient population; a vibrant

society and economy; community

bonding across our multicultural

society; and friendships with other

nations.

2002May: Jennifer Tan wins the Ladies’

Masters title at the 2nd World Ranking

Masters Championship, defeating

teammate Jesmine Ho.

July: At the age of 19, Li Li becomes

Singapore’s youngest Commonwealth

Games gold medalist when she

clinches the Ladies’ Badminton Singles

title at the 17th Games in Manchester.

December: Remy Ong, National

Bowling Captain, becomes Singapore’s

only second male multiple-gold

medalist in the Asian Games’ 51-year

history when he wins golds for the

Singles, Trios and Masters events. He

also tops the All-Events at the 14th

Asian Games in Busan (South Korea).

2004January: Singapore’s first school

dedicated to sports and education,

the Singapore Sports School opens

its doors to rising competitive

athletes entering Secondary 1. The

school offers specialised training in

eight sports academies: athletics,

badminton, bowling, football, golf,

netball, swimming and table tennis.







March: Stanley Tan is the first

Singaporean sailor to *qualify on merit*

for an Olympic Games. Competing

at a World Championship in Turkey,

he locks in a slot for the Athens 2004

Games. Stanley previously competed

at the Sydney Games in 2000 on a wild

card entry.

April:Oon Jin Teik joins the

Singapore Sports Council as Chief

Executive Officer. A former Olympian

swimmer, Mr Oon is recruited from

the private sector with a mandate to

professionalise the management and

operations of the SSC and the national

sports associations.

August:At the Athens Olympic

Games, Li Jiawei narrowly misses a

bronze medal in table tennis, and

Ronald Susilo defeats World No.1 Lin

Dan from China early in the games.

Even without a medal, Singapore

celebrates their sporting achievements.

2005National Sports Survey shows that 48%

of all Singaporeans are now taking

part in sports at least once a week,

compared with only 38% in 2001 when

CoSS report was first released.

July: Singapore hosts the 117th

Session of the International Olympic

Committee, and the world watches

as IOC delegates cast their votes

on the location of the 2012 Summer

Olympic Games. London wins the vote,

and Singapore wins accolades for its

hosting of the historic gathering.

December: Team Singapore sets new

records for sports achievement at the

23rd Southeast Asian Games in Manila.

The team wins a staggering total of 129

medals, including 42 golds, 32 silvers

and 55 bronze. Singapore’s previous

best medal count was 30 golds.

Moreover, 367 athletes qualified for the

Games, our third largest contingent.

Singapore’s athletes brought home

medals in 21 sports from total of 33

sports. Two young swimmers make their

debut at the Games: Tao Li (four golds,

one bronze) and Quah Ting Wen (one

silver, two bronze). Team Singapore

also claims the men’s gold in the first

triathlon event of the SEA Games and a

bronze in the women’s event.

2006September: The Ministry of


Sports (MCYS) establishes the Sporting

Culture Committee, which will be

chaired by Parliamentary Secretary Teo

Ser Luck. The committee comprises

people from the public and private

sectors who share a passion for sports

and a strong belief about the benefits

of sports to the individual, community

and nation.

October: Remy Ong wins the World

Men’s Singles and All-event titles at the

World Bowling Championship in Korea.

Remy delivers a top-class performance

in singles with a 1524 set to break the

existing record by 43 pins. Ong also

captures the all events title with a 5,566

total.

December: Singapore has a record-

breaking season, winning more medals

at the Asian Games than ever before in

our history. In Doha, Team Singapore

wins eight gold medals, seven silvers

and 12 bronzes for a grand total of 27

medals—a significant increase over the

17 medals in Busan in 2002. Singapore

Sailing outperforms across the board in

Doha while swimming receives a strong

boost from Tao Li with a gold in the

50m butterfly. Bowling takes gold in

women’s doubles with Michelle Kwang

and Valerie Teo. Shooting and table

tennis join the list of medalists with

silvers and bronzes.

Singapore wins two gold medals at the

World Sailing Championships.

2007December: At the 24th Southeast

Asian Games in Thailand, Team

Singapore wins 127 medals: 43 golds,

43 silvers and 41 bronzes. Team

Singapore’s athletes broke four Games

records and 12 National records. We

win our second gold medal in triathlon,

thanks to Mok Ying Ren while our

paddlers, swimmers, sailors, bowlers

and gymnasts came through with

shining colours as well.

Photo By Aundry Gan

Photo By Aundry Gan

SSC File Photo

SSC File Photo

Photo By Alphonso Chan


2008January: Dr Vivian Balakrishnan

announces Singapore Sports Hub

Consortium as the preferred bidder

to build a new sports megaproject

on the site of the existing National

Stadium. The Singapore Sports Hub

will revitalise the Kallang Riverside

by providing a new sports-leisure-

entertainment venue for the area. Key

features of the megaproject: a 55,000-

seat stadium with retractable roof;

a 3,000-seat multi-purpose, indoor

arena; a 6,000-seat aquatics centre;

IF-sanctioned pitches for hosting

football and cricket; indoor karting

track and a refurbished Singapore

Indoor Stadium. Equally important, the

new SSH will be an important platform

in Singapore’s strategy to become a

sporting destination in Asia. The new

Sports Hub will be “a place for heroes,”

says Dr Vivian.

February:The International Olympic

Committee names Singapore as the

host of the inaugural Youth Olympic

Games, scheduled for August 2010.

April: Singapore and China upgrade

the MOU signed in 1999 to include

joint training sessions.

May: The Sporting Culture Committee

(SCC) releases its report, detailing

23 recommendations to catalyse

the growth of an inclusive sporting

community, groom our own sporting

heroes to bring home international

glory, and develop a dynamic sports

industry that generates economic

opportunities.

July: SSC launches the Let’s Play brand

to encourage people to play sports

with family and friends. The campaign

emphasises the social aspects of

playing sports rather than the pursuit

of excellence.

August: Singapore wins a silver

medal at the Beijing Olympic Games,

thanks to strong performances by

the Women’s Table Tennis Team (Li

Jiawei, Feng Tianwei and Wang Yuegu).

It is the Republic’s second medal at

an Olympic Games. It also is worth

noting that swimmer Tao Li was the

first Singaporean to ever qualify in

an Olympic swimming final, placing a

strong 5th. Moreover, Team Singapore

qualified more athletes for the Beijing

Games than ever before in our history.

Some 24 of 25 athletes qualified on

merit for the Games, with only one

athlete from athletics competing as a

wild card entry.

September: Team Singapore sends

six athletes to the Paralympic Games in

Beijing and wins one gold medal, one

silver and two bronze. Swimmer Yip

Pin Xiu triumphs in the 50m backstroke

for the gold and takes a silver in

the women’s 50m freestyle. In the

equestrian event, Laurentia Tan wins

two bronzes for Singapore.

September: Singapore hosts the first

night race in the history of the Formula

OneTM. It is a roaring success with the

international motorsports fraternity,

winning several industry awards for its

innovation. International publicity tops

$300 million.

November: Jasmine Yeong-Nathan

makes history at the 2008 AMF World

Cup when she defeated the defending

ladies champion, Australian Ann

Maree Putney, in straight games to

become the first Singaporean to win

an AMF World Cup title. Held annually,

the AMF World Cup is arguably the

world’s most prestigious bowling

tournament. Prior to Jasmine’s World

Cup win, Singapore’s best finish in the

tournament were Henry Tan and Remy

Ong’s silvers in the men’s finals in 1970

and 2002 respectively.

2009January: Singapore hosts first FINA

World Swimming Coaches Conference.

February: In a new partnership

with OCBC Bank, Singapore Sports

Council launches the first OCBC Cycle

Singapore—a high participation-

high performance event that draws

5,000 riders. The event also signals

Singapore’s expanding interest in

sports. In March 2010, some 9,000

riders would take part—in spite of the

dampening effect of the recession on

general morale.

June: Singapore and Malaysia co-host

the Men’s Junior World Hockey Cup.

June: Singapore hosts the inaugural

Asian Youth Games, with 1226 athletes

taking part in 9 sports and 90 events

over 9 days from 27 June. The games

cost an estimated $18.26 million and

are organised by the Singapore Sports

Council and Ministry of Education in

only eight months. Swimmer Quah

Ting Wen is named the female MVP

of the Games after winning four gold

medals. Combining sports and cultural

education programming, the Asian

Youth Games are a new entry-level

Games for young elite athletes.

July2009: Prime Minister Lee Hsien

Loong joins the official opening of

Sengkang Sports and Recreation

Centre, which represents the newest

generation of sports facility. It is

the first collaboration between

the Singapore Sports Council and

the People’s Association. The SRC

combines the best of universal design

principles with an organic respect for

the natural surrounding environment.

Located at the east bank of the

Punggol River at Sengkang Town,

the SRC won the highly coveted

“Universal Design Award for the Built

Environment” from the Building and

Construction Authority. Within the

community, the Sengkang SRC has

been positioned as a town gathering

place—a place where people of all

ages and abilities can socialise and

relax. It is the first of a new generation

of sports and recreation centres


Photo By Aundry Gan

SSC File Photo

Photo By Deanna Ng


planned by the SSC to better serve

greater Singapore.

December:Singapore’s flag soars

high at the Southeast Asian Games

in Laos, even though the Team

Singapore contingent is the smallest

and youngest in recent history.

Competing in only 18 sports, Team

Singapore brought home 98 medals

from the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane,

Laos, comprising 33 Gold, 30 Silver

and 35 Bronze. Moreover, our athletes

medaled in highly competitive sports

such as swimming, shooting, table

tennis, water polo, athletics and

football.

Singapore holds more than 700

sporting events during the year.

2010February:SSC and Standard

Chartered Bank announce partnership

to hold new marathon for Singapore

on the first weekend of December. The

new “Standard Chartered Marathon

Singapore” will have three starting

points and routes through iconic

Singapore such as Orchard Road,

Marina Bay and China Town.

March: SSC and National Water Safety

Council introduce a new national water

safety programme, SwimSafer. The

programme is designed to provide

Singaporeans, especially children, with

the necessary water safety knowledge

and a wide range of water survival

skills as a safeguard against drowning.

SwimSafer is an amalgamated and

improved version of the Learn-To-Swim

Programme (LTSP) and the National

Survival Swimming Award (NASSA). It

will teach both swimming proficiency

and water survival skills.

March: Visitorship to SSC facilities

rises to new peak of 12.97 million visits

in FY09.

May: Singapore is ranked 2nd,

only to Melbourne, in the Ultimate

Sports Cities Awards, held by the

London-based Sport Business

Group. Singapore outscored veteran

sport cities such as Sydney, London,

Shanghai and New York on the back of

its expanding track record in hosting

innovative and efficient events and the

strong lines of government support

for sport. From an original list of 2,000

cities, Singapore made its debut onto

the 25-city short list in April. In May,

it joined Melbourne on the Awards

Podium with London in 3rd place.Photo by Tilt Pte Ltd

Photo By Aundry Gan


May: Singapore’s women’s table

tennis team defeat China 3-1 to

claim 50th World Team Table Tennis

Championships’ women’s title in

Moscow.

June: SSC hosts the International

Cricket Council (ICC) Annual

Conference and Asian Cricket Council

(ACC) Annual General Meeting from

27 June to 1 July. All the heads of

international cricket boards are in

Singapore during the Conference,

providing opportunities to promote

Singapore’s interest in the sport and in

the international and Asian federations.

July: On the back of a recent S$2.5

million pledge by the government to

develop Satellite Centres for Sports

Development (SCSDs), centres for

wrestling, sailing and basketball begin

welcoming youth aged six to 16 years.

The new satellite centres will serve as

the launching pad for youth to learn

new sports early in life in a safe, fun and

friendly community setting. The SCSDs

are being established in existing

sports facilities such as schools,

sports and recreation centres as well

as community centres located in the

heartlands. They will be coordinated

and managed by the respective

National Sports Associations of each

sport.

August: The inaugural Youth Olympic

Games open with sophisticated

fanfare, fireworks and a touch of

fantasy, as young sailor Darren Choy

appears to walk on water to light the

Olympic Flame on 14 August. 3,600

athletes from 205 National Olympic

Committees take part in the 26

Olympic sports as competitors on and

then take part in a series of cultural

and education programmes as friends.

August:Team Singapore wins two

silver medals and five bronzes at the

Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

August: Singapore Prime Minister

Lee Hsien Loong and President SR

Nathan are awarded the Olympic

Order in Gold from the International

Olympic Committee. Deputy DPM

and President of the Singapore

National Olympic Council, Teo Chee

Hean accepts the Olympic Cup,

which recognises an organisation’s

contribution and commitment to

Olympic values.

August: SSC and the Singapore Sports

Hub Consortium sign the contract

for the consortium to design, build,

finance and operate the Singapore

Sports Hub for the next 25 years.

Demolition of the National Stadium

will begin by October 2010, and the

new Sports Hub will open its doors by

April 2014. Said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,

Minister for Community Development,

Youth & Sports: “As part of the Greater

Marina Bay master plan, the Singapore

Sports Hub will also contribute to

the larger government objective of

repositioning Singapore as a great

place to work, live and play.”

September: Alex Chan steps down

as Chairman of the Singapore Sports

Council, a position he has held since

2002.

October:CEO Oon Jin Teik officially

announces his resignation from SSC

after six and a half years. Under his

leadership, Mr Oon transformed

the SSC into a high performing

organization, well-grounded in public

sector corporate governance principles

with a nimble private sector mindset to

respond to changing market needs and

customer demands. Significantly, he

instituted a strong performance-based

culture in the organisation, supported

by better compensation and a working

culture that encourages collaboration

and teamwork.

October:Team Singapore

dramatically raises the bar at the Delhi

Commonwealth Games, winning 31

medals, almost double the 18-medal

achievement in Melbourne in 2006.

The athletes win a record 11 gold

medals, 11 silvers and nine bronzes.

Shooter Jasmine Ser wins the first

individual gold medal for Singapore at

the Games. By the end of the games,

she has four medals to her credit: two

golds and two silvers. Fellow shooter

Gai Bin wins a staggering seven medals

in total, clinching three gold medals,

two silvers and two bronzes. Gymnasts

David-Jonathan Chan and Lim Heem

Wei win Singapore’s first-ever medals

at the Commonwealth Games. Our

women’s table tennis team come into

the Games as the reigning champions

and prove once again why they are

a force to be reckoned. They easily

defeated the host India at the gold

medal match. In a heart-stopping,

nail-biting match, the men’s team claim

table tennis’s second gold medal,

much to the delight of the nation.

November: At the Asian Games in

Guangzhou, Team Singapore wins

a total of 17 medals, with especially

strong performances in sailing and

bowling. Additionally, with feisty

performances from Tao Li, Singapore

takes the gold medal in the women’s

50m butterfly and a silver in the 100m

butterfly. Our women’s table tennis

team claims the silver in the team

event. The sailing and bowling teams

win medals in all three colours.

December: The inaugural Standard

Chartered Marathon Singapore flags

off the first batch of international elite

runners from Orchard Road at 5:15

am. However the action is spread

throughout the morning as some

60,000 people have signed up to

take part in several different events,

including a kids dash to a 10km to an

ekiden relay to the half marathon to

the full Olympic distance. What was

notable was that these 60,000 people

registered for the Standard Chartered

Marathon Singapore in only three

weeks .

Billed as “the People’s Race”, the

Standard Chartered Marathon

Singapore is a race through the

city’s history, with three iconic routes

stretching through Chinatown, East

Coast Park, Sentosa and Marina Bay.

The SCMS is the most popular race

in Singapore, with 7,000 volunteers

supporting the runners.

Photo By STTA

Photo By Richard Seow

Photo By Chan Bin KanSSC File Photo


2011January:After several months

of discussion with the Singapore

government, the International Table

Tennis Federation confirms plans

to open its Asia Pacific Office and

Marketing Headquarters in Singapore

in March 2011. ITTF will close its Beijing

office. ITTF marketing director Steve

Dainton says that Singapore, “widely

recognised as a ‘hub’ of the Pacific,

is therefore a perfect for location...

for ITTF.” As part of the commitment

to Singapore, ITTF also announces

plans to hold the Volkswagen Women’s

World Cup in October in the country.

February: SSC announces that

Brigadier-General Lim Teck Yin

has been appointed as the Chief

Executive Officer of the Singapore

Sports Council, with effect from 1

April 2011. BG Lim is the current

Commandant of the SAFTI Military

Institute. The appointment of BG

Lim marks the completion of a three

month international and local search

to replace SSC’s former CEO Oon

Jin Teik. Says SSC Chairman Richard

Seow: “Sports DNA was a term used to

describe the quality we were looking

for and we are pleased to find a CEO

that has outstanding sports genes. BG

Lim’s sports experience complemented

with his demonstrated leadership

and organisational strengths will help

drive forward the vision and goals of

Sporting Singapore.”

April:The SSC begins to survey the

sporting habits of 4,500 households

across the country for the National

Sports Participation Survey (NSPS)

2011. Conducted once every five

years, the NSPS aims to measure

the degree of all participation in

sports, including spectatorship and

volunteerism at events. The survey will

comprise 57 questions and will include

9,000 individuals. “Through this new

participation survey, we can measure

and analyse how our love for sport

translates into action. It will help us

understand the impact sport has on

our diverse society and how we can

best direct our strategies to keep the

momentum growing,” said Mr Richard

Seow, Chairman, SSC. The survey will

consider new capabilities in technology

as these changes have altered the

way in which people consume sports.

To reflect current day trends and

practices, the survey will cover areas

such as electronic gaming - to include

questions on using game consoles

like the Nintendo Wii as a form of

exercise, as well as the usage of mobile

devices for the watching of sports

events and getting up-to-date sporting

information. The results of the NSPS

will be ready in the first quarter of 2012.

June:Associate Professor Fabian

Lim Chin Leong joins SSC as the

Singapore Sports Institute’s (SSI) first

Executive Director. “I am delighted

to have A/P Lim on board to realise

our SSI’s vision of providing a world-

class sports science, medicine and

technology centre for our athletes,”

said Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO, Singapore

Sports Council. “A/P Lim’s proven

track record, extensive practical and

research experience which have led to

break-through innovations in human

performance studies, will help take

Singapore’s athlete performance to the

next level. I am confident that A/P Lim

will steer SSI to success.”

June: Standard Chartered Bank signs

a three-year S$9.75 million partnership

with SSC to remain as title sponsor

of the Standard Chartered Marathon

Singapore until 2013. Mr Ray Ferguson,

Regional Chief Executive Officer

(Singapore and Southeast Asia)

Standard Chartered Bank said, “After

a very successful inaugural SCMS in

2010, we are delighted to announce

our continued support for the event as

title sponsor. The marathon has been

a great platform for engaging all our

stakeholders, and it resonates with

what we stand for as an organisation

- courage, a ‘can-do’ attitude,

partnership, leading by example and

the determination to ‘go the distance’.

We want to be involved in the growth

of the race and help develop this

marathon as Asia’s pinnacle race

together with our partner and event

organiser, Singapore Sports Council.”

June: SSC’s new Fundamental

Movement Skills development

programme is unveiled at the official

launch of ‘FUN Start MOVE Smart!’

Fundamental Movement Skills for

Growing Active Learners - the first

installment of the series. Targeted

at childcare and preschool teachers,

‘FUN Start MOVE Smart!’, provides

principles, ideas and practices to

assist teachers in delivering motor

development activities to drive physical

literacy in children. It is the first work of

its kind to be created in Singapore. The

SSC is working on a series of resource

guides and training workshops, for

preschool teachers, parents, and

coaches of children aged two to 10.

The resource guides will provide the

information and practical know-how

needed to develop fundamental

movement skills in young children.

18July:Under a new initiative

called ‘Vision 2030’, the Ministry of SSC File Photo

SSC File Photo



Sports (MCYS) and the Singapore

Sports Council (SSC) will work with the

Public-Private-People sectors to jointly

develop proposals on how sport can

best serve Singapore’s future needs.

Sports will be used as a strategy for

individual development, community

bonding and nation building in

the next two decades. Vision 2030

will incorporate considerations

of Singapore’s future challenges,

including an ageing population;

the pressure of living in an

increasingly urban environment;

higher expectations from individuals

regarding the quality of life and

a shrinking workforce with rising

demands regarding job satisfaction.

Mr Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister


& Sports, said, “Sports can be used

as a strategy for individual character

development to prepare our people

for a more complex and competitive

environment. It can be a way for busy

people to find balance; for the silver

generation to age actively; for youth

to be engaged and learn life skills. On

the community front, sports can be a

powerful tool to bond communities

across genders, races and religions.

Sports can also be used to build

national pride, unite and ignite our

people as we move forward as one.”

25July: SwimSafer Open Water is

launched by the National Water Safety

Council (NWSC) and the Singapore

Sports Council (SSC) today. It is a

complementary module under the

national water safety programme

SwimSafer and equips children and

adults, with skills in open water safety.

The module also educates participants

on the unique risks and dangers

present in open water as compared to

swimming in a pool - uneven surfaces,

river currents, sea undertow and the

effects of changing weather - which

pose challenges even for the most

experienced water sports enthusiasts.

Dr Teo Ho Pin, Chairman of the NWSC

and Mayor of North West District, who

officiated the launch of SwimSafer

Open Water at East Coast Park today,

commented, “With an average of

about 65% of drowning cases in

Singapore occurring in open water

over the last five years, SwimSafer

Open Water is a highly recommended

modular option for both children

and adults to learn open water

survival skills, especially water sports

enthusiasts who spend a great deal of

their time in open water.”

13Feb:After seven months of

consultation with some 2500

people from the public, private

and people sectors, the Vision

2030 Committee released its 19

preliminary recommendations on how

sport can be a key strategy to serve

Singapore. The recommendations

called for more opportunities and

access for Singaporeans to play more

sports in school, the community and

the workplace. Sports capabilities

would also be enhanced to support

the anticipated growth in quantity and

quality of sports programmes.

Revealing the preliminary

recommendations, Acting Minister


and Sports, Mr. Chan Chun Sing said,

“In meeting and talking with people,

the consensus became clear. Sport

can be a national strategy to shape

our future, whether we are promoting

physical, mental and psychological

well-being; creating strong leaders

with drive and confidence; developing

a winning spirit; or uniting us as a

nation. It provides many practical,

teachable moments.” Acting Minister

Chan added, “It may take some years

to feel the full impact of these changes.

It is critical that we lay the foundation

now with the end goal in mind - to live

better through sports. Through the

opportunities created under V2030, we

hope people will participate actively

in sport, and in the process, become

happier individuals, stronger leaders,

more active community contributors or

proud citizens.”SSC File Photo

SSC File Photo

SingaporeSportsCouncil | 230 Stadium Boulevard Singapore 397799 | www.ssc.gov.sg | Tel: +(65) 6345 7111

SSC Commemorative Booklet 3Apr2012 (2)

Documents

mindy tanaction

chris mcgrathgetty

chief executive

urban redevelopment

chan bin kan

east coast

north west

wild card