Elite sports and national identity : a case study of Singapore's participation in the Olympics

Abstract

In the current globalized world, athletic skill has also become a valuable commodity sought by some nations around the world hoping to use it to boost their nation’s international sporting profile. Likewise, Singapore is also engaged in recruiting elite foreign-born athletes. This is done in the hope of rallying the masses behind the victories of the athletes and boosting their national pride. Using Singapore’s participation in the Olympics as a case study, the effectiveness of the efforts made at establishing elite sports as a core element of national identity is examined. It is then established that despite idealistic aspirations, the efforts have largely been ineffective.