Special Report: Singapore’s Ng Sets Out His Own Dream in Joining the Race to be Olympic President
May 16, 2013
Ng Ser Miang of Singapore is the latest vice-president of the International Olympic Committee to go public with his ambition to land the top job.
Last week fellow vice-president Thomas Bach from Germany led the way and more suitors are likely to follow suit in the next weeks though the deadline for registration is not until June 10.
Current IOC president Jacques Rogge retires in September after completing his second and final term of office. The election of his successor will take place in Buenos Aires at the 125h IOC session [congress].
The 64-year-old Ng, official first vice-president of the IOC, made his intentions plain in an address at the Sorbonne in Paris this morning.
Reviewing the history of the movement, Ng said: The IOC has achieved many great things in the 100-plus years since it was created here in the Sorbonne.
“We have seen the Games become a compelling reminder of sport’s ability to unite us; we have seen participation of the Games increase to 204 countries and territories around the world on all continents; we have seen the flame shine for the first time in new countries and in new host cities; we have seen athletes from small, developing nations compete equally with those from super powers.”
But past achievements were not enough.
Ng added: “I believe we can do more and that we must do more. We must harness the collective power of Olympism for the youth of the world for their benefit and we must refocus our efforts on the education of the values of sport for young people are tomorrow’s living Olympic legacies.
“The Olympic Games are a great exhibition of sport and its eternal values but relatively few get to participate directly in the Olympic movement. I want to change that.”
Exactly how he intends to effect change was not spelled out in any detail.
In response to questions he refused an invitation to suggest he might increase the voice of the international federations and national Olympic committees within the IOC.
He also slipped out from under a question about the sports corruption image problem of his own Singapore and talked in generalities about improving education in sport worldwide.
Ng concluded by stating a belief in his own worth as a candidate for the presidency to lead the IOC towards a bright future.
He said: “I firmly believe that the Olympic movement’s best days are ahead and that there are goals not yet reached.
“The future of the movement is written in the dreams of young people around the world. It is my most sincere desire to help all young people everywhere to make those dreams come true.”
That dream is doubtless shared by all the other contenders.
Apart from Bach these may include Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico, C K Wu of Taiwan and Sergei Bubka of Ukraine and possibly Rene Fasel and Denis Oswald from Switzerland.
Ng, an IOC member since 1998, joined the executive board in 2005 and stepped up to vice-president in Copenhagen in 2009. A vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Committee, he is also a former vice-president of ISAF, the the international sailing federation.
American Avery Brundage is the only non-European one of the eight presidents of the IOC thus far. However Asia, long important in terms of sponsor support for the IOC, has been making giant political strides within international sport over the past four years.
Keir Radnedge has been covering football worldwide for more than 40 years, writing 33 books, from tournament guides to comprehensive encyclopedias, aimed at all ages.
His journalism career included The Daily Mail for 20 years as well as The Guardian and other national newspapers and magazines in the UK and around the world. He is a former editor, and remains a lead columnist, with World Soccer, generally recognised as the premier English language magazine on global football.
In addition to his writing, Keir has been a regular analyst for BBC radio and television, Sky Sports, Sky News, Aljazeera and CNN.
Keir Radnedge’s Twitter: @KeirRadnedge
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