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PAY if you fail.
The Singapore Athletic Association has told its athletes that, with immediate effect, they must co-share up to 30 per cent of expenses for overseas preparatory meets in the lead-up to a major competition.
This, if the athletes' marks are more than 2 per cent off a pre-set target for major affairs like the South-east Asia Games and Asian Championships.
The targets will be drawn up by the SAA in consultation with the athletes, based on factors such as their personal bests and current form.
But, once the criteria are met, the SAA says it will foot the bill outright for all future preparatory meets in the lead-up to the major meet.
And these major competitions, stressed SAA technical director Ralph Mouchbahani, will still be fully funded.
One reason for the scheme, according to him, is to set 'milestones' and help athletes improve progressively.
For instance, a shot putter is slated to compete in the Thailand and Taiwan Opens respectively before an Asian Championships.
He is set a target distance of 15metres for the Asian meet.
Initially, he fails to meet the target in Thailand, but attains or surpasses it in Taiwan. In this case, he would have his expenses to Thailand fully paid for.
SAA president Loh Lin Kok said yesterday: 'One rationale for introducing this scheme is also that we've over-spent like mad for this financial year, which ends in March.'
The SAA receives between $1million and $1.5 million in annual funding from the Singapore Sports Council. Loh said its annual expenses on high performance typically come up to about $500,000.
He admitted: 'Our coaching and high-performance department over-spent by about $100,000 already.'
Added Mouchbahani: 'When you have a limited budget, we must see how best to meet our goals, which is to help our athletes reach their maximum limits.'
Athletes who are just over the 2 per cent mark will pay 15 per cent of costs, which include transport, accommodation and food expenses.
A sliding scale, up to a maximum of 6 per cent off the set targets, will be used.
Those whose marks are 6 per cent off the required mark will foot 30 per cent of the expenses.
The remainder will be borne by the SAA.
But national athletes, many of whom are still studying, are concerned that this new policy will burn a hole in their pockets.
For instance, a trip to Jakarta for June's Asian Junior Championships could cost a few hundred dollars.
Further afield, a week-long trip to Japan, Europe or the Middle East could easily cost over $1,000.
Athletes would then have to cough up a few hundred dollars.
Said national sprinter and Singapore Management University undergraduate Poh Seng Song: 'It's good motivation for us to train hard and not slack.
'But many of us are not working and earning our own income yet, so it could be tough.'
Other large national sporting associations (NSAs) also have similar 'pay if you fail' schemes in place, but mostly for their developmental athletes.
SingaporeSailing, the Singapore Bowling Federation and the Singapore Swimming Association all make their age-group athletes foot part, or all, of the bill for overseas meets.
But, this does not apply to the top tier or national-level athletes, such as bowler Remy Ong or swimmer Tao Li. In these cases, the associations foot the entire bill.
In some instances, the bill will be reimbursed, and bonuses given, if the athlete performs well and wins a medal.
One reason cited for the policy is the tight budgets NSAs have.
Of all the NSAs, SingaporeSailing receives the most, with over $3million in annual funding. Bowling and swimming receive between $1.5 million and $2 million a year.
The Singapore Sports Council's chief of high performance Wayde Clews supported the schemes, saying it would ensure athletes were committed to achieving their objectives at overseas meets.
He said: 'While the NSAs are committed to providing their athletes with optimal exposure to international competitions, there is a need to prioritise as resources are finite.
'It is hence reasonable for athletes to contribute to the costs to gain further international competition opportunities over and above what the NSAs have identified for them.'
Some NSAs also 'tax' their athletes' monetary incentives for medals won at major Games for, among other things, youth development.
limze@sph.com.sg
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