Developing Sports That Are Not Included in Major International Games

Ms Valerie Lee asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) how the Ministry and Sport Singapore will support National Sports Associations (NSAs) for sports not in major international Games but with growing youth participation; and (b) what specific criteria determine inclusion in the National School Games.

Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether development of sports in Singapore is intended by the Government to be driven primarily by high-level participation and achievements at major games; and (b) whether diversity, inclusivity and long-term ecosystem growth are equally valued.

In answering this question, it is important for us to remind ourselves of what sport is and what sports stands for. Sports has the ability to bring people together, imbues character and promotes teamwork. And that is why we constantly promote wider participation in sports among our youths – because it is intrinsically valuable for youth development. It nurtures better Singaporeans.

Broad-based sport participation and high-performance sport are mutually reinforcing and support one another. Developing a wider interest and love for sports through a diverse range of sports expands the pipeline for high-performance sport and means stronger community and national support for our national athletes. When Team Singapore athletes excel on the world stage, it in turn inspires our youths to take up sports and strive for excellence.

The Government's approach to promoting sports programmes and competitions in schools goes well beyond those in the Major Games. Because sport serves a broader purpose for our youths – fostering interactions and social mixing among students and developing physical fitness and values, such as resilience and teamwork.

In selecting sports for the National School Games (NSG), the Ministry of Education (MOE) therefore incorporates factors, such as its value to student development, interest levels, school participation patterns, and the ecosystem's capacity, including facilities, qualified coaches and officials and the National Sports Associations' (NSA's) ability to support competitions. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and MOE will work with ready, willing and able NSAs to introduce more sports into the NSG to reflect the diverse interests of our youths.

For high-performance sport, the Government places great importance on identifying and developing athletes and has been increasing investments to help athletes compete better and longer. Developing a strong pipeline of youths in sports included in the Major Games is key to our high-performance strategy. We do this through structured youth pathways, deepening of coaching and specialist expertise and close partnerships with NSAs to identify and nurture talent early. Just last week, we announced our largest-ever cohort of 247 spexScholars and spexPotential recipients across 41 sports.

As a nation with a small population base and finite resources, we tier our support based on each sport's needs, readiness and potential contributions, with a focus on the Major Games as these are multi-sports and have the largest contingent of Team Singapore athletes, are most watched by and followed by Singaporeans, and most able to rally our nation and inspire the Singapore spirit.

The Government has also been investing in emerging sports. Through the Athletes' Inspire Fund, we have supported athletes in sports, such as pickleball, powerlifting, dodgeball and kickboxing. We have supported NSAs in hosting international competitions, such as the 2023 World Youth Tchoukball Championship. With the Government's support, Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) attained Charity status in 2024, unlocking access to the One Team Singapore Fund where the Government matches donations dollar-for-dollar. With the formation of SpexSG last month, we will work more closely with and empower NSAs to be strong stewards of their sports.

The sporting landscape is always evolving and the decision on which sports feature in future Major Games rests with international and regional multi-sport governing bodies. Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise. Emerging sports today can be part of Major Games tomorrow. Floorball is one such example – through sustained effort, community interest and a committed NSA, it was included as an official medal sport at the Southeast Asian Games since 2015.

The Government will continue to invest in sports that Singaporeans care about, as these are sports with the power to unite us and bring us together as a nation.