Cash rewards for podium athletes may need to be reviewed
I WOULD like to congratulate all of our athletes, especially those who got on the podium at the Asian Para Games in Jakarta recently. It was reported that one of the winners who won three gold medals would receive RM240,000. This is a lot of money.
Meanwhile, shuttler Goh Jin Wei and the junior hockey team, who both clinched gold at the recent Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, should also be considered for cash awards.
However, in light of the country’s financial situation, I was just wondering whether the Sports
Ministry would be able to
grant all the para athlete medal winners and the Junior Olympics gold medallists the cash even though they deserve them.
Is the country able to reward the athletes handsomely when the government is believed to be seriously weighing the possibility of introducing new taxes such as inheritance tax, digital tax, capital gains tax and soda tax?
Certainly, we appreciate the government’s efforts to reduce expenditure in all the ministries and government departments. As responsible citizens of the new Malaysia, we too need to make sacrifices to assist the government in reducing the national debt.
Although the Sports Ministry has been rewarding medallists in the Olympics, Commonwealth, Asia and Asean Games, it would be prudent to cut back on the cash incentives for the time being in view of the financial constraints.
Instead, reward the athletes in kind, such as by granting them land, business licences or royal awards, or name stadiums and roads after them.
Let us hope the athletes involved will agree to receive less cash or accept other rewards as a token of their sacrifice to the nation.
Alternatively, the National Sports Council (NSC) and National Sports Institute (NSI) should get corporate bodies or wealthy individuals to sponsor the prize money as their public social responsibility.
On their part, the athletes should try to get endorsement deals from pharmaceutical, beverage and sports companies.
They should also consider giving inspirational talks for a fee to employees in the public and private sectors, particularly multinational corporations.
Nevertheless, if the powers that be have funds budgeted for our medal-winning athletes, then they must not hesitate to hand over the cash to them.
However, we should not focus on showering the athletes with cash alone. The Sports Ministry ought to instil in the athletes the sense of pride in representing and bringing honour to their nation through their achievements.
Perhaps the elite athletes could learn from the master (veteran) athletes who train diligently on their own without coaches and represent the country in the World Masters Athletics Championships, Asia Pacific Games and World Masters Games. They do this without getting any allowances for travelling, food and accommodation or expecting any cash rewards if they are successful. Some do return with medals, and the satisfaction they get is just from standing tall, holding the Jalur Gemilang on the podium.