Would-be IOC president Ng Ser Miang said the Olympic body would benefit from having an Asian leader and pledged a new era for the organization as the race for the presidency enters the home straight.
The Singaporean supermarket chief and diplomat said that the 119-year-old International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs a “different perspective” as it heads into an age where the world’s most populous region will play a far greater role.
The 64-year-old Ng is considered a strong contender among the six candidates vying to replace Belgium’s Jacques Rogge as IOC president in a vote in Buenos Aires on Sept. 10.
The IOC, founded in 1894 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, has had seven European presidents and one American, with Rogge in charge since 2001.
“The IOC has become very global and I think for the IOC, it’s also important to have a different perspective, in this case coming from a very important part of the world,” the Chinese-born Ng said in an interview.
He added: “I hope so,” when asked if it was time the IOC had an Asian leader.
“But I think it’s important not just symbolically, but for the values they can bring to the table as well, when we talk about universality, different value systems, different cultures, different ways of looking at issues and challenges,” Ng said. “Which also means that you have different solutions, coming from different angles and different perspectives. I believe that’s going to be very, very useful to the movement and very important to the movement in future.”
Ng is one of two candidates from Asia, along with Taiwan’s Wu Ching-kuo, head of the International Boxing Federation. However, he played down fears that the two were harming each other’s chances by competing for regional votes.
“I’m happy that we have very strong candidates,” said Ng, Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Norway.
Germany’s Thomas Bach is touted as the front-runner, followed by Ng and Puerto Rican banker Richard Carrion.
Ukrainian pole-vault great Sergey Bubka and Denis Oswald of Switzerland are the other hopefuls.
Ng has strong credentials as an existing IOC vice president with a successful business career, after starting out as a bus entrepreneur and now heading Singapore’s biggest supermarket chain.
He also chaired the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, in Singapore in 2010, and was a driving force behind the city-state’s rise from sporting backwater to regional center with Formula One in its portfolio of events.
Wearing an electric blue tie and a humble manner, and sitting in his office near Singapore’s new Sports Hub, an under-construction complex including a 55,000-seat national stadium, Ng said he could bring similar acumen to bear on the IOC.
He proposed containing the huge costs of putting on Summer and Winter Olympics, which currently rule out many cities, and better risk assessment to protect hosts from financial difficulties.
Russia’s Sochi is estimated to be spending US$50 billion on next year’s Winter Olympics, while Rio de Janeiro is already under pressure over its hosting of the 2016 Summer Games.
“We have to review the Games bids process, despite scales and complexities of the Games. At the same time, reviewing sports programs as well. We have to make sure they continue to be exciting, to be relevant,” Ng said. “Organizing the Games is very complex, it’s huge ... but definitely it’s time that we have a major review of this and see how we can move forward.”
Ng also pledged to work more closely with sports federations, national Olympic bodies and sponsors to try to tap their “huge resources” and raise partnerships to a more “strategic level.”
He said he would hold half-day meetings with each of the 115 IOC members and then a group retreat to chart the way forward on “hot-button issues,” such as the Games’ size and scale, which sports are contested, doping and illegal betting.
To raise efficiency, he plans to delegate projects to IOC vice presidents and members, and review the body’s staff and internal operations.
Ng has also placed youth at the heart of his strategy, with ambitious plans to roll out 80 “Olympic youth development centers,” many in poor countries, over the next eight years.
“We really have to make sure that the Olympic Movement becomes part of everyone’s daily life and starting with the youth is very important,” he said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two