YSunday, December 10, 2006

Asian Games. Go Team Chin... I mean Singapore!!!

I'm certain that everyone in Singapore is aware of the Asian Games at Doha, which is under way right now. I am also certain that some of you are as excited as me, glued to your TV screens every night, wearing your Team Singapore headbands, with your right fist clenched tightly over your chest, proudly waving your Singapore flats in your living rooms, with fertile tears of nationalistic joy rolling down your cheeks.

As a vital and integral member of Team Singapore (4 million strong!) you would undoubtedly know that Singapore is doing pretty well. You would also surely know that one of the greatest achievements of Team Singapore would be winning a gold medal in swimming, something we haven't done in many years. The winner of the 50m butterfly would of course be Tao Li. Take a look at today's newspaper and you would a massive shot of her grinning face, splashed right on the front page. I'm not saying that I don't respect her as an athlete. She can do many things that I cannot do, that I admit. She won, good for her. However, I just don't really think it's that appropriate that our media places such a great emphasis on her victory, and how it has brought pride to our dear nation, simply for the fact that I do not consider her to be a Singaporean.

Perhaps she has already converted to becoming a Singapore citizen, I am not certain of this. But the fact remains that she was born in China. For that reason, and for that reason alone, I do not consider her to be Singaporean. The same goes for all the other athletes that Singapore imports from China, Indonesia, or other nearby countries. Li Jia Wei, Ronald Susilo, or whoever else they may be. Singaporeans are expected to have a sense of loyalty and pride for our country, but how can we do that, if the role models of our nation, the athletes who have achieved glory for Singapore, weren't even loyal to THEIR OWN countries in the first place, and instead decided to represent Team Singapore, no doubt because of certain incentives.

Some people may be thinking that perhaps I am suffering from jealousy, a bad case of sour grapes, due to Tao Li being so popular and famous at the moment, and the sizable amount of money she receives from our government for her victory, but this is not the case. I'm just disappointed that so much is being given to a foreigner. I have nothing but respect for real Singaporean athletes, like those teenage girls, girls of my age, who managed to win a silver in the shooting competition. Unfortunately, I am unable to recall their names at this moment, due to the fact that there wasn't much hype and focus on their medal winning performance. I am also unable to recall the name of the gold medal winning body builder, or the pair of bowlers who also accomplished the same feat.

I honestly would prefer if Singapore did not import any foreign athletes, and not win any medals, than if Singapore brought over hundreds of athletes and won many medals. I mean, seriously, so what if we don't win any medals? It's not as if Singaporean have no other talents. Some people are good at running, some are good at thinking, and some are good at writing nonsensical crap on the internet.

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Blogged @ 10:33 PM