Bowling Tax rate: 20% 'If they breach the contract, we have the right to drop them from the squad - but that's never happened.' - JESSIE PHUA, Singapore Bowling Federation president -- PHOTOS: EDWIN KOO, ST FILE PHOTOS

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That is the ultimatum given to athletes of several national sport associations (NSAs).

They require their athletes to sign a contract to pledge a percentage of their prize money to the associations.

For instance, sailors have to pledge 20 per cent of their winnings before competitions. Anyone who refuses will not be selected.

SingaporeSailing president Low Teo Ping insists that the pay back is 'neither a tax nor a levy'.

He said: 'It is a way of inculcating a sense of responsibility and upright behaviour among the sailors and is no different from being filial at home.'

What if a sailor refuses to sign the contract or surrender part of his booty?

'Fortunately, nobody has questioned it and everyone has been willing to sign it,'' he said.

'They all know the repercussions. If you sign an agreement and you don't comply, I can sue you.'

Singapore National Olympic Council secretary-general Chris Chan believes such contracts are necessary as they 'avoid any misunderstanding'.

The current debate over NSAs taxing their athletes was ignited on Monday, when swimming star Tao Li said she was unhappy with the Singapore Swimming Association's (SSA) newly imposed 15 per cent levy on winnings.

The Asian Games champion had earlier said she was happy to give 9 per cent of her prize money to her coaches, but not the 6 per cent to SSA's youth development fund.

But, a day later, she clarified that she was fine with giving back some of her proceeds, but hoped the money would be spent on the elite swimmers in this Olympic year.

Other athletes The Straits Times spoke to supported giving back some money to their associations.

SingaporeSailing's decision to impose a compulsory contribution came after former national sailor Siew Shaw Her's victory at the 1998 Asian Games in Pattaya.

Of his own accord, he donated 10 per cent of his $250,000 Multi-million dollar Award Programme (MAP) reward to the association. He also urged his teammates to do the same.

'We consulted the sailors and they thought it was a good idea to introduce the contribution, and so we did,' said Low.

The money collected is used primarily for youth development.

But the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) does not 'tax' its athletes.

Said its chief executive officer, Kelvin Ng: 'We don't take a cut because our philosophy is that the players deserve the prize money. It also encourages them to play better.'

But the SBA is an exception rather than the rule.

Shooting, table tennis, athletics, bowling and, now, swimming, are among the NSAs that take a cut from their athletes' earnings.

The Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) takes a 20 per cent cut - 15 per cent divided among the coaching staff, team managers and physiotherapists, and 5 per cent to the Bowlers' Welfare Fund.

The SBF enters into a contract with its national bowlers at the beginning of every year.

Said president Jessie Phua: 'If they breach the contract, we have the right to drop them from the squad - but that has never happened.

'Besides, one doesn't become a champion all by himself. We've put in a whole system geared towards the bowlers' success. It's only right that you give back what you've benefited from.'

Likewise, the Singapore Shooting Association (SSA) requires its national shooters to sign an agreement to return 20 per cent of their prize money.

Four per cent goes to the coaches and the rest to the Shooters' Benefit Fund, which is used for celebrations and to support the Singapore Sports School's shooters.

NSAs also ask athletes to return part of their earnings because the funding they receive is simply not enough.

Said SSA president Chng Seng Mok: 'What you can do depends on how much money you have. Whatever the amount, it's never enough.'

Low agreed, saying: 'It's a secondary reason. We can always do with more funding.'

But is it fair to make athletes choose between giving up a cut of their winnings and being dropped from the team?

Chng added: 'It's not a threat - it's a two-way commitment. In our case, our shooters feel honoured to give back.'

Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck says giving back part of the gains is 'very noble'.

'I think it's a good thing that successful athletes contribute back to society because, if they've been helped, they should help others too.

'Like the Chinese idiom goes - when you drink water, you don't forget the source.'

jwang@sph.com.sg