When I was enlisted in the Singapore Army (ORD loh), training was tough.
However, what kept us going was always plentiful amounts of (albeit not the best-tasting) food, that served as our fuel through gruelling physical activities.
If you were an elite national athlete competing at the SEA Games, it would not be far-fetched to say that you depend on your food for success.
Yet many of our Singaporean athletes at the SEA Games this year were not provided with adequate amounts of food.
Authorities Were Underprepared
This year was Philippines’ turn to host the 30th SEA Games.
However, they did not do a fantastic job of it.
The event was generally planned terribly. Most teams had much delay in checking into their hotels, were forced into cramped shuttle buses and faced terrible sports amenities.
Some teams were even stranded in the airport for eight hours.
What was worse, was that food for the athletes, critical for their physical performance and morale in the competitions were not catered properly.
According to officials from the Singaporean team: “For example, at one dinner the halal options were just plain rice, pita bread and brinjal lasagne. And with the other teams also requiring halal food, there just was not enough to go around.”
Only a very limited amount of halal food was provided, despite many teams having heavy Muslim rosters like Malaysia, Brunei and Singaporean teams.
As a result, the Singaporean team officials had to procure additional food and supplements by themselves, to ensure that our athletes were having proper nutrition.
Beyond the Singaporean team, other teams were badly affected as well.
Thailand’s team complained of water shortages and repetitive menus, which were lacking in Thai food that was appropriate for the team.
Why Should We Care About Standards In The SEA Games?
Sure. It may not be the Olympics or the World Cup, but the SEA Games is an important place for many of the athletes in our region.
It provides a platform where athletes can compete proudly with the best and where we can be proud of our national representatives.
It is in the SEA games were many Singaporean sporting legends are crowned. Swimming legends like Tao Li and Joseph Schooling, who went on to represent us at the Olympics achieved considerable success in the SEA Games.
The efforts and victories at the SEA Games are hence held to high regard by the citizens of the participating countries
It is therefore important that people and the organising committee treats the SEA Games with respect – otherwise, they would be disrespecting the hardworking athletes and the citizens who stand behind them.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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