One writer thinks sport has considerable value, while the other questions this view.

How important is sport for you and your society, and how far would you agree or
disagree with the opinions expressed in these two passages? [10]

Sample AQ Note

Robb lauds sport’s ability to “develop important character

traits”, making it of considerable value to society, especially
for youth organisations. I concede that my society
recognises the role of sports as an important part of growing
up, especially in an increasingly competitive society where
the value of dealing with success and failure becomes more
important than ever before. For example, Singapore
celebrates not only the sporting achievements of its young
talents but also their sportsmanship through the COLOURS
awards in Singapore secondary schools. Such awards
remind young athletes, and their peers, that sport is meant
to be more than just physical strength, despite it being an
increasingly competitive and rigorous profession. Indeed,
there are enduring anecdotes on Fandi Ahmad’s value as
not only a skilful striker on the football pitch but also an
effective team captain in the 1980s. Such examples are
testament to the enduring legacy of the character, and not
just achievements, of sportspersons.

However, it is dangerous for Robb to oversimplify the

relationship between sports and positive character traits*;
the same competitive spirit can drive athletes to favour less
desirable traits such as greed, jealousy and dishonour. This
is because as competition becomes stiffer, especially with
more talented and privileged individuals from all over the
region willing and able to invest in their training in
Singapore, the drive to win could possibly overshadow
codes of conduct. To address this inherent problem,
Singapore employs strict regulations through Anti-Doping
Singapore (ADS) to deter athletes from succumbing to such
traits, preventing scandals that have rocked the international
sporting scene, including Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal
and allegations of match fixing in FIFA. The Singapore
Schools’ Athlete’s Oath also refers to their vulnerability to
these traits. Such preventive measures indicate that while
sports can be a noble pursuit, the dangers of competitive
sport are real and must continue to be mitigated actively.
Hence, I argue that sport is important to my society, but our
fixation on sports could compromise our ethical code. In this
respect, Robb’s point can be rather simplistic.

On the other hand, Benjamin warns us that sport can lead to

“corruption, which financial reward can encourage”. I
concede that my society recognises monetary incentive as a
motivating factor, especially with its high cost of living,
leading individuals such as Benjamin to believe that money
is a dangerous driving force for athletes as well as other
 individuals. However, Singapore operates on a system of
‘high achievements, high rewards’, allowing the government
tends to out-bid any potential for bribery and other forms of
corruption by highly rewarding athletes of high sporting
ability and an unblemished moral record. This penchant for
beating corruption at its own game, together with one of the
strictest law enforcement, including capital punishment,
tends to lower the chances of corruption to almost nil. For
example, Singapore gives the most prize money for a gold
medal compared to any other country in the 2016 Rio
Olympics, with Joseph Schooling taking home 1 million
dollars worth of local currency, while individuals found guilty
of match-fixing face jail sentences of up to five years,
compare to the European maximum of two. Such lavish
rewards, as well as hardline punishments, tend to act as
effective, if morally questionable, buttress against threats of
corruption not only within the sporting community but also
the larger society. Hence, the importance of sport to my
society has justified its large financial rewards while the
danger of corruption is actively managed through strict law
enforcement. In this respect, Benjamin’s argument is
somewhat myopic.

In conclusion, I believe that Robb makes a fair case for

sport, while Benjamin’s concerns are being actively
addressed in my society. As Singapore continues to
embrace a young but promising sporting community
following the Rio Olympics, we will continue to face more
challenges in the field. Benjamin’s hypothetical drug will
continue to tempt our athletes, as will they continue to resist
its temptations.