Women’s tchoukball players pay it forward with donation from $10k prize money

SINGAPORE – Eight members of the 2022 national women’s tchoukball team have decided to give back to their association after they were named Team of the Year (Team Sport) for the first time at the Singapore Sports Awards on Wednesday.

The eight have pledged to donate their share of the $10,000 prize money.

Speaking at the awards ceremony at Orchard Hotel, captain Irene Tan said: “I think with this win, some of us really wanted to donate back to the association so that when it gets charity status, Tchoukball Singapore can actually benefit to help the future athletes in high performance – that’s really the contribution that the athletes hope to give for the future.”

The other four members of the 12-strong outfit have since retired. Earlier in 2023, the team had attained the world No. 1 ranking after their historic win over Chinese Taipei in the final of the 2022 Asia Pacific Tchoukball Championships.

A charity status would qualify the Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s One Team Singapore Fund, with the government matching donations to national sports associations.

TBAS president Delane Lim said he was very happy that the players have “initiated the kind gesture”.

“I think it is in their nature that they want to pay it forward and that’s what the sport is all about,” he added.

“They know what it is like to run an NSA and now, as the NSA grows, they know that we are also moving towards a charity status.

“I am very touched by the gesture and the way they are paying it forward.”