Why aren't there more Singaporean sports stars?

It’s been a while now since Singapore’s latest sports star Joseph Schooling beat Michael Phelps to gold in a swimming race at the Rio Olympics. Everyone still remember him? I am sure if you were to forget at any stage in the next 20 years the Singapore authorities will be reminding you that he is and may remain it’s only Olympic Gold Medalist.

To many people Schooling’s win merely highlighted the fact that Singapore had never won a gold before not that it was a reason for over hyped congratulations. After all the beaten Michael Phelps won another 5 golds to add to his collection of 23 gold’s. Losing one didn’t seem to matter that much to him.

For such a competitive country in the business context that loves outdoor activities and where obesity is not a problem (despite the plethora of fast food outlets next to sports and fitness venues) it’s amazing that Singaporeans do seem especially poor at competitive sport.

Many Singaporeans will tell you it’s the size of the country (5.4 million) but that argument doesn't stack up. You see countries smaller such as Iceland (population 350,000) reaching the quarterfinals of EURO 2016 or Wales (population 3 million) reaching the semifinals or the New Zealand All Blacks being Rugby World Champions twice in a row (population 4.5 million) plus all the other countries at the Olympics smaller than Singapore yet winning medals and not celebrating as if they had solved world peace it puts Singapore’s win in context. Jamaica’s population is only 2.7 million yet they took home 6 gold medals.

But why is this? Why is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, with sports facilities coming out of every corner, with a climate perfect for all round training, a fit and competitive population not bothered about competing in sports tournaments and more to the point not winning them or even coming close?

The national football team for example are never liked by anyone here and often joked about. No local aspires to play for them and no one wears their national team football top in the street. Singaporean’s like supporting winners not losers. There are more German and Spanish tops worn here by locals than Singaporean ones. Hence their love of whoever has just won the Premier League or Champions League. Especially if they play in red....

Is it National Service?

Many people in the local media have highlighted that Schooling won his gold because he postponed National Service (NS) and didn’t even train in Singapore (thank you Texas). In fact many people have complained that he was allowed not to do NS and many more that it was apparently some foreigners who wrote to the NS Board to get him excused, not any locals, in order for him to focus on his swimming which ultimately ended up with him winning gold. Does this hinder or help?

Of course NS doesn’t explain why women, who are very competitive and entrepreneurial in Singaporean business, are also not doing well in team or individual sports….

Is it a lack of sponsorship?

Marketing Magazine and others have pointed out that sponsors and brands were happy to associate themselves with Schooling after he won gold but were not seen supporting him on his journey to gold. There remains a big investment gap here which for a country as rich as Singapore that is obsessed with image and brand remains a mystery. Imagine what you could do with the hundreds of millions that the Singapore Grand Prix costs each year to put on if you invested that in Singaporean athletes or even the football team…..

Is it the call of working in a bank?

Whereas people in the West now openly despise the thought of working in a bank or even knowing people who do so, people in Asia still consider it a glamorous position. Steady job, no hassle, no pressure, your mum and dad and all their friends have heard of it, % discount of your mortgage for your HDB/condo/house, etc etc. Where’s the kudos in being a failed athlete?

Is it the parents?

Singaporean parents do not in general send their kids for after hours schooling in sports. In fact they even choose schools and kindergartens based on how many hours of actual work is done at school rather than playtime and outdoor activities.

After a long day at school kids often have extra maths, English, Mandarin, science etc rarely sports. It starts here. If parents drive the motivation out of the kid to want to do well in sports and pack their time with extra in-class activities is it any wonder kids end up not being great at sport. Practice makes perfect, lack of practice makes you a banker.

Is it money?

Some Singaporeans, like many in Asia, are obsessed with money or more to the point the status symbols that it brings. I’m always being asked how much did I pay for this or that and how much did I make out of this or that. It’s a national sport. Measuring wealth. Hence the large $10-20million houses and extra half million costing cars for some of the smallest sized families in the world. The Chanel and LV handbags and luxury watches. Anything you can see.

Where’s the money in sport? None. Not unless you’re a Premier League star or NBA star. No athletics star in Asia and certainly not an Asian football star is going to become a millionaire anytime soon unless they move to the US/UK. There is just no value or perceived value here in that long term struggle and that journey versus that bag or that car or that house or jewellery now.

I don’t know the answer but I do think that there needs to be more of a focus on outdoor activities at school and recognition that sports like the arts are worthwhile careers to go into in Singapore. That needs a long term mindshift and cultural rethink. That takes time. One gold medal, soon to be forgotten, will not alter that. What do you think?