Support on road to the SEA Games

Support on road to the SEA Games

SINGAPORE - Support for potential medallists at next year's SEA Games in Singapore will extend twice as long for working adults, and many times more for student-athletes.

The Straits Times understands that about $3 million will be set aside for more than 200 athletes who missed out on benefiting from the Sports Excellence (Spex) Scholarship, offered to an inaugural batch of 66 sportsmen and sportswomen last year.

Athletes will have to demonstrate their potential for a podium finish at the June 5-16 Games, and commit to full-time training for six to 12 months in preparation for the event.

The Grant for Loss of Wages (Glow) for working adults will be extended from a maximum of $2,000 a month for half a year, up to a maximum of $2,500 each month for a year.

For student-athletes, the Training Assistance Grant (TAG) could also rise to $800 each month for a year, which is eight times more than the $1,200 sum previously offered over a full year.

Singapore Sports Council chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin said: "We're very mindful that this is a Games carried at home, it's an opportunity to perform at home, and we want to put our best foot forward."

He was quick to note that for student-athletes, "full-time training" does not necessarily mean giving up their studies.

"It's on condition that they can take on the training load (required)," he said.

"We're not advocating that students have to defer their studies. If you can do both, please keep studying."

The SSC is also ready to exercise flexibility on special cases.

"We've got guidelines," he said. "But we will be quite prepared to discuss special cases."

The additional funds to give the potential medallists an extra push is part of the $80.77 million worth of support allocated to national sports associations (NSAs) and athletes for the upcoming financial year.

That is almost $10 million more than the amount disbursed last year and includes annual grants for NSAs, the innovation fund announced in Parliament last week, and funds for taking on more SpexScholars this year.

For hurdler Dipna Lim-Prasad, who won a bronze at the Myanmar SEA Games in December and is planning to train full-time in her bid for gold on home soil next year, the enhanced support could not have come at a better time.

Said the 23-year-old, who graduates from Nanyang Technological University in May: "It really gives more incentives for student-athletes, especially with big events coming up. It's definitely going to help defer some training and competition costs."

Additional funding was also given when Singapore hosted the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Each of the 26 participating sports received additional funds of about $100,000 or more.

Singapore Rugby Union president Low Teo Ping noted that the extra funding is now given to athletes - over and above what NSAs are already receiving in grants.

He said: "It's really incremental, and not one lump sum that is used by all NSAs just for the SEA Games."

While the monetary support is a one-off targeted at the biennial Games, the SSC is also introducing long-term changes in the way it works with NSAs.

In trying to help associations cut down on administration, grants will now be disbursed twice a year instead of on a quarterly basis, while NSAs will also have the ability to reallocate certain funds autonomously.

Baseline financial support covering costs such as development programmes and organising national competitions will also be given without the need to reapply every year.

Said Netball Singapore's chief executive officer Cyrus Medora: "It makes things much easier. During the year, our priorities can change and this will allow us some leeway.

"But we must be more responsible in the way we use the money, and in what we deliver."

 


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