End of the day, we cannot deny that modern market demands have crept into sports and put it this way in certain countries, being a sportsman is big money. Unfortunately in Singapore, sports is not rated highly as a career path and you may be talented but facing pressure from family and society, you just cannot carry on with being in sports.
A former national coach told me this. To protect his privacy I wont reveal which sport he was coach of as he is still actively in sports. He saw Tang Liang Howe the gentlemen who won the only Olympic medal for us at the gym in the former National Stadium. He said looking at his sorry state, he was thinking to himself..... will that be me when I am old? Reasoning Singapore doesn't take care of its sportsmen and women when they are past their prime.....
thats the sad facts... like FTs... if you are useless in SG, you no more their cup of T...
hence, like your summary, just mine wasn't that well thought... haha...
However what I disagree with and many in the local sporting scene disagree on is this. Our govt's mentatility of success overcoming common sense. To the point that it wants to be number 1 is everything and all it can think of is instant gratification hence the bright idea of offering citizenship to sportsman whom they think can win medals for us. Result is that we end up buying medals and don't u all notice the support for sports have not gone up now that we have FT sportsmen and women winning medals for us but rather it is gone down? Reasoning being very simple, we look at them with disdain and we dont feel at all proud of the wins. In fact we feel embrassed...... Something for the sports council to think about.
SG should just not get those FTs to get them gold in olympics... instead, just send their own people to the game, its the best sportmanship ever.
its not just about winning...