The Dark Shadow Shrine

embrace the darkness; that you may see the light nestled within it......

Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Asian Games becoming African?

Remember this controversy that erupted over the Sochi Olympics? See HERE. Singapore has its own share of this when our team struck Silver at the Beijing Olympics with the help of foreign talent. And as recent as the Asian Games that was just over (?), Joseph Schooling's feat was cast in a bit of a shadow when some thought he is a 'foreign talent' due to his surname and Caucasian looks. (He's actually an Eurasian, but definitely Singaporean).

Now we can see comment here that the Asian Games is no longer Asian and there are more African faces among the competitors -- and victors! This not only posed some unfairness to the competition as they have a comparative biological advantage in certain sports, but it also revives the controversy about whether sport can gel  the entire nation together by getting the entire nation to rally behind a compatriot who's increasingly a foreign import.



GP Angle: can sport really help to stoke patriotism and elicit a love for one's country?

Qns:
Hosting international sporting events creates more harm than benefits. Do you agree?