2 weeks ago
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SINGAPORE: While profitability is a factor in deciding which sporting events Singapore will host, it is not the only consideration, said Sport Singapore (SportSG) chief executive officer Alan Goh.
Speaking to CNA on Thursday (Jan 16), Mr Goh said authorities also look at whether world-class athletes participating can inspire the next generation and provide a high level of competition for local athletes.
"There is a sweet spot where you can get the correct level of competition which Team Singapore can benefit from," he explained. "It is no longer just about economic receipts."
SportSG took over the ownership and management of the Singapore Sports Hub in Dec 2022, reaching a mutual agreement with then operator SportsHub Pte Ltd to terminate their public-private partnership (PPP).
"Before we took back ownership of the SportsHub, arguably with the PPP, it was more commercially driven," said Mr Goh.
"But since we took back (ownership and management), we made sure that we have a good spread, a good balance between events, concerts, sports, community (and the) National School Games."
A number of major sporting events were held in Singapore in 2024, including the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup and the World Chess Championship.
This year will see the inaugural Singapore Tennis Open and the World Aquatics Championships held here.
"We don't go for every single event and try to pull it here, because there's always a cost to it," said Mr Goh.
However, it is also not a case of just pursuing money-making events, he added.
"Success (in an event) would be when it's something (where) Singaporeans (can) participate, spectate and enjoy (themselves)," he said.
He cited the example of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup which featured the likes of Olympic gold medallists Leon Marchand and Pan Zhanle, and saw top Singapore swimmer Teong Tzen Wei clinch two bronzes. The event also saw a sold-out crowd.
"We want to be able to have our own Team Singapore athletes do well (and) compete alongside the very best," said Mr Goh.
"You bring the best here, our people can compete, hopefully, they get inspired ... People can watch, enjoy and the young ones get inspired too."
AN "ACADEMICALLY BIASED" SOCIETY
Goh has held his current position since April 2023. He was previously deputy secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), now the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.
Before MCI, Mr Goh served in the Republic of Singapore Navy and held various command and staff appointments in the Singapore Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence, in areas such as policy and strategy, operations, planning, human resources and maritime security.
"It's been a very enjoyable two years ... I'm a big sports fan and coming to this role, every day it's almost like I don't feel tired. I feel energised by what we do," he explained.
What has also been gratifying has been to see the response of Singaporeans to SportSG's slew of programmes, he added.
However, Mr Goh admitted that the sporting ecosystem in Singapore still faces challenges.
"We have (a) declining population. So (for the) sport scene, (a) declining population over time doesn't help," he said.
These days, there are parents who are more "open-minded" in allowing their children to pursue sports full-time, said Mr Goh.
"If they can afford it, they are quite willing to help their child give it a go at their aspirations, more than before, I would say," he added.
However, he admitted that Singapore remains a society that is "academically biased".
Mr Goh gave the example of some of his peers who have children who do well at the National School Games level.
"My one question is: 'Is your child going to carry on and try to make it to the national team?' The answer is: 'Oh, they have got to study for exams now,'" he added.
Sporting authorities have recognised this issue and implemented several new measures last year.
This included a new scholarship for undergraduate student-athletes as well as CPF top-ups for those under the Sports Excellence Scholarship (SpexScholarship) programme.
The SpexScholarship has two tracks, the first being the "dual career" track for athletes concurrently pursuing their studies while training and competing. There will also be the "new career" track, for those who choose to embark on their studies after they retire from competitive sport.
The idea is to make the athlete path more "attractive" and "viable", said Mr Goh.
"We will keep looking for ways that can make parents feel that the path in sports is viable ... This is an area where there is still plenty of room for improvement," he added.
"We do want to keep finding every generation of (champions) ... so that we have Singapore inspired and (rallying) together cheering for Team Singapore."
