Swimming: SSA receives $200,000 boost for special fund to support promising athletes

A special fund set by the Singapore Swimming Association to support promising athletes was given a $200,000 boost on Dec 7, part of Joseph Schooling's $1 million reward from the Singapore National Olympic Council. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - A special fund set aside by the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) to support promising athletes received a $200,000 boost on Wednesday (Dec 7).

The amount is from the $1 million Olympic champion Joseph Schooling received from the Singapore National Olympic Council's (SNOC) multi-million dollar awards programme (MAP), an incentive programme sponsored by the Tote Board Group for major Games medallists.

Joseph's parents Colin and May presented SSA president Lee Kok Choy with the $200,000 cheque at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on Wednesday evening.

Lee said a special committee will be set up to oversee the fund's use. This committee's members will comprise people within and outside of the SSA to ensure fairness and transparency.

More details, such as the committee's make-up and funding criteria, will be unveiled in a month.

The fund was set up after the SSA raised $525,100 from a golf fundraiser headlined by Joseph on Nov 22.

May said: "When Joseph mentioned that more support is needed, that's true. The money could help the young ones, or those not (yet) on the spexScholarship. This is a small step and we hope others will make that step too."

At the fundraiser, Joseph had said he hoped more could be done for talented athletes before they deliver the goods on the international level, on top of the Sports Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship), which gives athletes a monthly stipend as well as sports science support.

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