Sports, particularly team sports, brings youngsters in the neighbourhood together regardless of race, religion or language.

That being so, we should allow every opportunity for the neighbourhood children to kick around a football ("Grass patch not a suitable place to play football"; July 28).

Contact sports like football are ideal in helping the young become rugged, which would stand them in good stead for national service and life as a whole.

Must Singapore have clean green grass patches all the time and everywhere? Surely the sight of children playing football more than makes up for a little bald patch here and there.

To be sure, there are safety concerns, but playing football cannot be more hazardous than bicycles and electric bicycles that zoom along pedestrian pathways or the second-hand cigarette smoke in public areas that can cause severe harm.

Let us not deny our children the fun of playing sports within their neighbourhoods. The kampung spirit achieved through sports played in the neighbourhoods was one of the things that brought our people together.

M. Lukshumayeh