Hence, athletes’ parents and the wider social context around the swimmers – coaches, sport science specialists, sport administrators – play important roles in ensuring that they can manage the physical load and mental strain.
LESSONS FOR ALL ATHLETES
The challenges and demands of an elite athlete are not unique to swimmers. With more Singaporeans in more disciplines making their mark on the world stage – from diving and gymnastics to badminton and silat – and inspiring another generation to pursue sporting dreams, we see just how high the stakes are that we get the supportive community right.
We should continue the investments in our athletes and fine-tune our athlete support initiatives and services. So the investigations must be seized as opportunities to look at broader issues and potential pressure points that affect them.
But this should (hopefully) not result in just more punitive measures. The aim should be to help, not condemn, and can look at various initiatives that will help athletes deal with the pressure of training and competition, and juggling their commitments.