RASHID SIDEK-1996 OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST
RM1 million incentives is a great motivator to our athletes. To win a gold medal is not easy because the competition is getting tougher. We can see that from one Olympics to another, the standard is increasing. We should therefore set a higher target, and provide a more attractive incentive, RM1 million for gold RM300, 000 incentive to silver medallists and RM100, 000 to those who won the bronze. Reward was appropriate as the Olympics was an international event and held only once in four years.
We have never won a gold medal in the Olympics, badminton seems to be our best prospect, but we should not set high hopes as in the past, it was only manage to contribute silver and bronze medal each. Psychological strength is one of the aspect that separate winners fro each other. Our athletes are of world standard in certain sports but whether they win or lose will depend on their mental strength.
I don't think such incentives are wasting our money. Let's do some calculation here: What are the probabilities that any of our athletes could win any medal at the Olympics? Winning an Olympics medal is something special that not everyone can achieve. Nowadays, sports all over the world have become profitable events. All top athletes get paid lucratively. The pride of our country is at stake. As long as our athletes confident that they can make it, then the gold medals are achievable.
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