SEA Games: National sports associations need to be more professional to produce talent, says Singapore Sports Institute chief

KUALA LUMPUR — Singapore Sports Institute chief Toh Boon Yi has called for more “professionalism” in national sports associations, as he singled out Singapore Athletics (SA) as an example of an NSA that needs to get its act together.

Earlier this year, infighting and disagreements among the SA’s executive committee members almost led to snap polls being called to elect a new management team. The move was aborted after intervention by International Olympic Committee member Ng Ser Miang. 

Just months before the Games, a dispute between coach Margaret Oh and SA’s technical director Volker Hermann saw the SA threatening to exclude Oh’s charge, Shanti Pereira, from the women’s 4x100m relay team.

All this led to the SNOC and Sport Singapore stepping in to take over the management of the SEA Games athletics squad.  

Toh said: “Athletics continues to be a work in progress … what we need to do is continue to work with the fraternity to study how to address the long term issues, and back it up with resources and commitment.

“Sports has reached a point where it has to be more professional. The rest of the world has moved so we need to benchmark and level up. If we continue with the old approach where we are solely reliant on the loyalty and commitment of volunteers without any professional help, then it will stagnate. 

“For athletics, they’re not even there yet. How do we professionalise it, establish a structure to think long term, bring in professionals whether it’s coaches, technical director, and administration.”

Toh added that it is critical for NSAs to have proper structures and processes to spot and groom young talent. “The athletes who are supposed to represent us at the Paris and LA Olympics (in 2024 and 2028) are probably still in school ... how do we groom and support them so that they can represent Singapore. If you leave it to chance, it won’t happen.”

Toh was also happy to see world No 6 paddler Feng Tianwei thriving in her new working relationship with the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA). 

Last year, the STTA had booted Feng out, citing a need for rejuvenation in the national squad, but reports emerged subsequently that STTA axed her over issues such as discipline and disagreements over prize money and reimbursement claims for food. 

Competing at the SEA Games as an independent player, Feng won the women’s singles, doubles and team events. 

Toh said: “They have come to a good working arrangement. The process at arriving here was a bit rocky, but it could have been worse. 

“Sometimes, forcing a compromise may not be the best. The different parties can find an alternative arrangement if they feel this is better for them. 

Expected to sweep all seven gold medals on offer, Singapore’s paddlers won five, missing out on the men’s team and mixed doubles. 

Toh said the losses were a wake-up call to the players, and others in Team Singapore. “We had hoped for a clean sweep, but we know competition is keen especially in the men’s as the gap is not that wide,” he said. “The important thing is to learn. Our rivals are catching up so what do we need to do to be competitive not just at South-east Asian level, but continental and world level?”