Team Singapore, Foreign Talent and SINGAPOREANS

Whenever it’s about sporting events, be it the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics Games or the ASEAN Games, there are always questions about foreign talents being our athletes.

What exactly is the problem for foreign talents to be playing for Singapore?

In the first place, these athletes should not be known just as foreign talent from their birth countries, they have given up their citizenship and are known as Singaporeans. I feel sad for these athletes, most of them have been here for years, still known as a foreigner and will always be a foreigner. They are put under our microscopes, with people analyzing and criticizing every of their behavior.

A forum at Channel News Asia, its title : “Would you be happy if FT won a medal?” (or something on the same line) My answer, YES. They won a medal for MY and YOUR country, Singapore, why would you not be happy? If you are not satisfied that they are not Singaporean-born, encourage your children to be active in sports, to excel in them and participate in sporting events. But, most parents would just say how waste of a time it is, to train and excel in a particular sport. So, if you are not proud that foreign talent won a medal and you are not willing to encourage young Singaporean-born to be athletes, should we start to announce our withdrawal from all international sporting events? Bringing in foreign talent should not be seen as a replacement for Singaporean-born athletes. They are our talent, they are here to bring glory to Singapore and together, bring Singapore to higher grounds in sports. However, this will only happen if we are willing to support them, to acknowledge their efforts and to make them part of Singapore.