STATEMENT BY MR IVAN TAN DELEGATE TO THE 76TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 12, ON SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE: BUILDING A PEACEFUL AND BETTER WORLD THROUGH SPORT AND THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT, PLENARY 2 DECEMBER 2021

Mr President,

1                  I would like to begin by commending all the athletes who participated in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games earlier this year. We thank them for their determination, competitive spirit, and inspiring performances that uplifted us all.  My delegation congratulates Japan on the successful hosting of the Games in spite of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  We look forward to the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing and wish China a successful Games.

Mr President,

2              Sport inspires us to challenge ourselves and to pursue excellence through hard work and self-discipline, and gives us the determination to go faster, higher, and stronger. Active participation in exercise and sport also helps develop agile minds and healthy bodies. It nurtures capable individuals and builds vibrant communities. The values inculcated through sport can be transferred into an individual’s personal and professional life. That the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises the important role of sport only strengthens the conviction that sport must be an important part of all our lives.

3              The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has upended our lives. Things which we have taken for granted, like the ability to participate in team sports and attend live sporting events, have become complex affairs. It is in these trying times that the value of sport becomes more apparent as something which we can rally around. The Olympics, as a global mass sporting event, provides a platform for countries and athletes to come together in a spirit of friendship and friendly competition that resonates beyond sport. It brings people of different origins and creeds, cultures, and nationalities together, enhancing mutual understanding through a spirit of fair play, and promotes tolerance, social inclusion, peace and cooperation.

4              Sport can also contribute to the deepening of ties and cooperation between countries. Singapore has been active in promoting the shared values of fair play and integrity, as well as regional cooperation in sport. In October, Singapore chaired the 6^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports which adopted the ASEAN Workplan on Sports for 2021 to 2025.  The Workplan will chart the regional and bilateral sport programmes to be undertaken by ASEAN member states in the next five years. In addition, Singapore was actively involved in the conceptualisation and drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and the World Anti-Doping Agency to combat sport doping and further strengthen anti-doping capabilities in our region.

5              Singapore recognises the importance of sport. As we transition to learning to live with COVID-19, we must continue to find ways to allow people to participate in sport and large-scale spectator sporting events in a safe manner. To allow these to resume, Singapore has piloted hybrid and in-person events. This will be an important step towards finding a balance between keeping people safe and reinvigorating the sport scene and economy.

6              Equally important for the success of sport is the environment in which people participate. It must be a respectful and equitable space, free from all forms of harassment and abuse. In 2021, Sports Singapore launched the Safe Sport Programme to address abuse and harassment in sport, based on the fundamental belief that no person should feel unsafe as they train, compete, or play any role in sport. At the heart of the programme is a Unified Code which sets clear definitions of sexual, psychological, and physical abuse. The Safe Sport Programme also contributes to the on-going conversations on Women’s Development in Singapore by facilitating an enabling sporting environment that protects women and girls.

Mr President,

7              Singapore is committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for everyone to participate in sport. Through its tangible and intangible benefits, sport is a force for positive change. These benefits transcend national boundaries and help to promote ties between people from all over the world. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has recognised the role of sport in the development of peace, the promotion of tolerance and respect, and the empowerment of women and young people, as well as its contributions to health, education, and our goals of social inclusion. Let us continue to uphold the spirit of sport and aim to build a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for all.

8              I thank you.

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