Singapore leaves major Games medal incentives to private sector while government focuses on 'broader' sporting base: Edwin Tong

SINGAPORE: The government leaves the cash incentives for major Games medals to the private sector, as it wants to focus on funding and supporting a “broader base” such as athlete development, said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong on Wednesday (Oct 16). 

Singapore’s S$1 million Olympic gold medal payout is known to be the highest globally - but while he applauded private corporations for helping raise this sum, Mr Tong said it does not help in other aspects of sports development. 

“It is very good, but it is also rewarding people who are more or less at the end of the journey winning a gold medal,” said Mr Tong. 

“It doesn't directly go towards helping those in development, which is what we want to do with a broader spend, so that we can reach a target broader base, (get) mass appeal, and develop a pipeline so that more athletes, para as well as able-bodied athletes, can reach the apex of their sport and reach their aspiration.”

He was responding in parliament to calls by members of the House to equally reward both Olympians and Paralympians, made during a motion to honour Team Singapore’s performances at the Paris Games this year.

The motion was attended by 17 Olympians and Paralympians, including kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, swimmer Yip Pin Xiu and boccia player Jeralyn Tan.

Maeder received S$250,000 (US$191,000) for his Olympic bronze medal, while Yip got S$1 million for her two gold medals at the Paralympics.

For Tan’s historic silver at the Paralympics, she received S$300,000. A silver at the Olympics comes with a S$500,000 cash reward. 

These cash payouts are given out under the Major Games Award Programme (MAP) for able-bodied athletes and Athletes’ Achievement Awards (AAA) for para-athletes. 

The MAP