Second Reading of the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) Amendment Bill

Mr Deputy Speaker, I move, “That the Bill be now read a second time”.

(I) Building our Sporting Nation

1. Sir, the Singapore Sports Council Act was enacted in 1973 to establish the Singapore Sports Council, also known as Sport Singapore or SportSG for short, as the statutory body responsible for promoting and developing sports in Singapore.

2. For over five decades, SportSG has led the development of a vibrant sporting culture in Singapore.

3. Together, we have achieved significant progress in two areas – first, participation in sports and second, sporting excellence. 

Sport for All 

4. In the last decade, SportSG has achieved a significant increase in participation in sports in a number of ways.

5. First, in partnership with MOE, we have effectively embedded sport programmes across mainstream and special education schools, and expanded the outreach of sports to the young, very significantly.

   1. The Sports Education Programme, which promotes development of skills and sports knowledge of students, their active participation of sports, and promotion of team spirit and character building is now offered in more than 320 schools, up from 187 just five years ago.

   2. The School Sports Partnership programme, which allows more children to be exposed to multi-sport experiences at introductory and intermediate levels, regardless of their skills and abilities, has grown from 19 in 2020, to 92 schools today.

   3. These programmes expose our youth to diverse sporting experiences, nurtures a love for sports, and builds a strong foundation for active and healthy lives. 

6. Outside of schools, we engage our youth through ActiveSG’s Academies and Clubs. These offer structured sports programmes for our children to pursue their sporting interests and form bonds and networks with peers beyond schools. And together with our affiliated partners’ programmes, we reach out to about 15,000 regular participants each year.

   1. And we want their passion for sport to continue beyond the school years. To help them stay connected with sports for life, the ActiveSG Sport Interest Groups provide avenues for Singaporeans to continue to pursue their sporting interests together.

   2. And this also allows them to form new friendships and meet others of different ages and abilities to play sports together regularly.

   3. Today, SportSG offers more than 3,000 Interest Group programmes annually, reaching close to 30,000 participants.

7. Second, we have increased access to sports through our expansion of sports infrastructure. In addition to rejuvenating and building new ActiveSG Sport Centres with an expanded offering of sports facilities, we have also built more sports facilities closer to residents’ homes through Sport-in-Precinct programme.

8. Where we can, we have integrated them with government facilities in our heartlands to provide Singaporeans with a one-stop facility to live, work and play, such as Our Tampines Hub, Bukit Canberra and Heartbeat at Bedok. 

9. We have also rejuvenated several others, such as the Delta Sport Centre and ActiveSG Sport Parks at Teck Ghee and Bedok North.

10. With convenient access to sports programmes at facilities such as gyms and swimming complexes, Singaporeans’ visitorship to ActiveSG facilities has increased by more than 50 percent from 13.2 million in 2014 to about 20.8 million in 2025.

11. More than 1.9 million Singapore citizens and permanent residents have also signed up to the new web-based MyActiveSG+ platform for facility and programme booking since its launch in 2024.

12. And through these efforts, three in four Singaporeans aged 13 and above now participate in sport and fitness activities weekly, up from one in two a decade ago¹.  

    1. Well, this is a significant jump. Many more Singaporeans now adopt active and healthy lifestyles.

    2. And this is a big step in our effort to bring our health-span closer to our life-span, and to help Singaporeans live longer and healthier lives.

13. Beyond physical fitness activities, mind sports and e-sports have also seen strong growth in participation and recognition, both here in Singapore and globally. 

    1. Well, take chess for instance. We hosted the World Chess Championship for the first time in 2024. 

    2. In schools, around 1,700 students competed at the 75th National Schools Individual Chess Championship in the same year — that’s almost a 20% increase compared to 2022, which was when it was last held.

    3. As for e-sports, ASEAN is one of the world’s fastest growing e-sports markets.  

    4. The upcoming 2026 Asian Games will also feature an increased number of 11 medals for e-sport titles, up from 7 at the 2022 Asian Games.

14. In line with young Singaporeans’ widening interest in e-sports, we partnered the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023. 

15. Our Team Singapore e-sport athletes also achieved medal success at the SEA Games and other competitions such as at the World Taekwondo Virtual Championships. 

16. Sir, these trends reflect the contemporary sporting landscape where players, competitors and supporters are no longer limited to the traditional disciplines of physical sporting activities. 

Sporting Excellence

17. Now, in terms of sporting excellence, we have progressively strengthened our high performance sport ecosystem to nurture more Team Singapore athletes and help them realise their full sporting potential to perform better in more sports. 

18. Just last month, we celebrated Team Singapore’s achievements at the SEA Games in Thailand – 

    1. We fielded our largest SEA Games contingent of more than 900 athletes competing across nearly 50 sports, with more than half competing for the first time. 

    2. And our athletes did very well. They won a record number of 202 medals, with 52 Golds. 

19. At the games, our athletes also achieved many firsts.

20. Calvin Quek and Avvir Tham won our first gold in 60 years in the 400m hurdles and diving respectively.

21. Marissa Hafezan won Singapore's first SEA Games karate medal since 2011 and first gold medal since 1993.

22. Our men’s 3x3 basketball team won a historic Silver medal, with a young team averaging just 21 years old

23. And I am also happy to report that about half of our athletes who competed for the first time won medals.

    1. Including some of our youngest Team Singapore athletes, 12-year-old sailor Anya Zahedi and 14-year-old swimmer Julia Yeo. 

    2. Well, Julia was just sitting behind Member Dr Kenneth Goh and myself, and cheering on the Team Singapore athletes in one moment, and the next moment, she was in the water. 

24. She set her personal best in the backstroke during the womens’ 4x100m medley relay, and together with her teammates Ting Wen, Jing Wen and Letitia, broke the meet record and won the Gold medal. 

25. And all this while, she was swimming in borrowed goggles and swimsuit. Now, imagine if she had brought her own!

26. And it was Singaporeans’ support for our athletes at the games, that made all the difference. Whether it was Singaporeans who were supporting the team from back home, or Singaporeans who went to Thailand to cheer on the team, like our Team Nila volunteers.

27. Whether it was cheering the mens’ water polo team through their dominant wins in the pool, enroute to their 29^th gold medal, or our netball teams’ heartbreaking three-point loss in the finals, Singaporeans stood with Team Singapore through both victories and defeats.

28. Our supporters embodied the very essence of the Singapore Spirit. On the fields and in the stadiums, we were united as one voice, cheering as one nation for Team Singapore.

29.  And as our Team Nila volunteer Mr Andy Toh aptly put, the journey with Team Nila in Bangkok was both poignant and fulfilling, marked by the emotional highs and lows of witnessing athletes’ triumphs and disappointments.

30.  He was deeply moved by our athletes’ grace, fortitude, and determination to bring glory and honour to Singapore, and felt privileged to be able to contribute with fellow Team Nila volunteers.

31. And with Singaporeans’ strong support, Team Singapore’s average SEA Games gold medal tally has increased significantly over the past two decades. From around 20 in the 2000s to about 40 in the early 2010s, to more than 50 today. 

32. At the highest levels, our athletes have also shown that we have what it takes to do well at the Olympics and the Paralympics.

33. In Paris 2024, our Team Singapore Contingent came home with two golds, a silver and a bronze, they also broke two national records and had two personal bests.  

34. We have also stepped up to host top-tier international sporting competitions, testing our capabilities against stronger and more established nations, and rallying our nation’s support for our athletes. 

35. For close to three months in 2025, we worked to host the World Aquatics Championships, World Aquatics Masters Championships, and the World Para Swimming Championships.

36. We welcomed over 9,000 international athletes, including the world’s top swimmers, to Singapore across these events. 

37. We saw outstanding performances from our swimmers like Yip Pin Xiu and Gan Ching Hwee, who achieved medal success and broke national records.

38. Our TeamSG para swimmer Wong Zhi Wei fondly recounted his experience at the World Para Swimming Championship in September last year. 

39. He said and I quote – “I was really grateful for the crowd because every time I came up to breathe I could hear them say ‘Go!’ and I could hear a lot of them shouting my name so I’m really glad for the support that I have especially for this meet that’s held on home ground”. 

40. Through the years, our athletes and para-athletes do more than just make Singapore proud. 

    1. They inspire dreams.

    2. They show our youth what is possible when they dare to dream.

    3. And we are committed to nurture more youths to turn their dreams into reality. 

41. Next week, our contingent of 37 Team Singapore para-athletes across 11 sports will participate in the ASEAN Para Games and I invite all Singaporeans to join me in supporting Team Singapore to make Singapore proud.

(II) Scaling for the Next Bound of Sport 

42. Our achievements so far, both in participation in sports, and in sporting excellence, gives us confidence that we are on the right track.

43. And we want to do better. 

Sporting Excellence – Strengthening Support for Youth to Senior

44. First, we want to continue to build up our high-performance sports system to nurture our athletes to their fullest potential. 

45. For our athletes, we are investing in a new home for Team Singapore as part of the Kallang Alive Masterplan.

46. We will integrate all elements of our hardware – our high-performance sporting development and sports science system - under one roof for athletes to stay, train, study and compete, supported by the High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI) and the National Sports Associations (NSAs).

47. We will also continue to improve our software – to start organising ourselves around an integrated structure to enhance the end-to-end development of our athletes from youths to adults so that our athletes can be supported holistically.

48. And we will continue to refine our sporting policies and programmes, to ensure that athletes have the right infrastructure, adequate resources, and multiple opportunities to excel.

49. This reflects our concerted, strategic, and long-term commitment to build a sustainable and thriving sports ecosystem for all our athletes.

Sport for All – Strengthening Inclusivity

50. Second, we will continue to make sport more accessible and inclusive for all Singaporeans.

51. We announced the refreshed Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP) in 2024. The DSMP lays out our vision to build an inclusive and vibrant sporting landscape where persons of all abilities will have ample opportunities to participate in sports.

52. One of the key moves is the launch of the Enabling Sports Fund (ESF) to support community-led programmes that make sport accessible, inclusive and meaningful for persons with disabilities.

53. Similarly, we want to make an effort to leverage sports to develop youths from disadvantaged backgrounds. SportSG's philanthropic arm, SportCares, will continue to work with key partners to leverage sport initiatives and programmes to deepen its outreach to vulnerable communities.

54. For instance, Saturday Night Lights (SNL), a flagship SportCares programme since 2013, has served more than 1,000 youths-at-risk or from disadvantaged households.

55. These youths develop important life skills such as respect, discipline and resilience through SNL’s regular football training and are given a safe and structured space to grow, with coaches acting as their mentors. 

56. We will also continue to expand opportunities to students in our schools to access and excel in different sports.  

    1. Today, programmes such as Strategic Partnership CCAs (SP-CCAs) allow students keen to participate in sports not offered in their schools to do so. These include athletics, canoeing, hockey and water polo.  

    2. We will continue to work with MOE to expand such opportunities for our young.

57. We are also working to uplift standards so that Singaporeans can take part in sports safely. 

    1. For instance, SportSG introduced the National Registry of Exercise Professionals, or NREP for short, in 2023, to build capabilities in the physical fitness sector. 

    2. Registered Exercise Professionals under NREP are certified in areas such as Standard First Aid and Safe Sport, in addition to their fitness or exercise certifications. Registered exercise professionals under NREP are also certified in Standard First Aid with Automated External Defibrillator (AED), Safe Sport, Basic Exercise Science or equivalent, so they can better serve Singaporeans. 

    3. SportSG is also working with industry partners and government agencies to establish a Code of Practice (COP) for Gyms and Fitness Studios. This aims to help align best practices in areas such as equipment and facility management, among other safety considerations for better and more consistent standards across the industry.

58. Update SportSG’s role and empower it to drive our next bound of sports

59. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have described how our sporting landscape has evolved over the years and become an integrated part of Singaporeans’ daily lives. 

60. I have also set out what we plan to do going ahead. 

61. To support these plans, we need to update the Singapore Sports Council Act, which has not been significantly updated since its enactment in 1973. This is to empower SportSG to more effectively administer its role in driving all Singaporeans to live better through sport. 

    1. Hence, we are seeking to make the following amendments in this Bill. 

Provide Holistic Education and Career Support to Our Athletes 

61. First, to provide holistic education and career support to our Team Singapore athletes.

    1. Clause 6(h) of the Bill inserts new Section 8(k) and (o). 

    2. These provisions provide an enhanced mandate for SportSG’s to establish institutions to develop and train national athletes. This includes overseeing their sporting activities, and working with MOE on the Singapore Sports School (SSP)’s academic curricula. 

    3. Specifically, new Section 8(k) provides SportSG with the mandate to establish an institution that will be formed through consolidating the SSP and the HPSI. 

       1. This is a key step to implement our plans announced at MCCY’s COS debate in 2025, and will enhance our end-to-end support for athletes. 

    4. SSP will retain its brand and identity and serve as the education arm of our high-performance sports system.

       1. This consolidation will strengthen our system, and it will stand us in good stead for future Major Games, especially when we host the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games in 2029. 

62. We are also laying the groundwork early for the relocation of SSP to Kallang, bringing the school together with sports science facilities, sports medicine centres, national training centres and national sports associations under one roof as the home of the new Team Singapore.

63. More details on this will be provided at our 2026 COS debate. 

Uplift Standards of the Sports Industry 

63. Second, to uplift standards of the sports industry. 

    1. Clause 6(h) of the Bill inserts a new Section 8(m) and (n) to recognise the role of SportSG in raising the capabilities and safety in the sports sector. 

    2. This includes establishing and maintaining quality standards and codes of practice for coaching, equipment, facilities, as well as the relevant accreditation systems. 

64. With the growth in national participation in sports and physical fitness activities, we need to strengthen SportSG’s mandate to build capabilities in the sports industry. 

    1. Rather than becoming a regulator of the sports industry and taking the approach of regulatory enforcement, 

    2. SportSG will continue to exercise leadership in the sport sector by encouraging the adoption of industry best practices. 

    3. This includes but is not limited to its existing policies and initiatives such as the Safe Sport Commission, National Registry of Coaches (NROC) and NREP. 

Strengthen Disability Sports and Inclusivity 

65. Third, to strengthen disability sports and support our effort towards greater inclusivity.  

66. Clause 6(b) of the Bill seeks to amend Section 8(d) of the Act to recognise the Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) as SportSG’s key partner, the same way the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) is recognised today. 

    1. This is in line with the refreshed DSMP where we have also expanded access and opportunities for persons of all abilities to participate in sport. 

Support Singaporeans’ Diverse Sporting Aspirations 

67. Next, to support Singaporeans’ diverse sporting aspirations, Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 2 of the Act – 

    1. To define “sports” to include mind sports and e-sports; and 

    2. To define “mind sport” as a competitive game based on intellectual skill rather than physical skill, such as chess or bridge. 

68. Clause 6(a) of the Bill seeks to amend Section 8(a) of the Act to expand the functions of SportSG to expressly include 

    1. The planning and promotion of physical fitness activities, in addition to sports, for both competitive and recreational purposes. 

69. Clause 6(c) to (f) seeks to amend Section 8(f) to (i) to expand the functions in those provisions to include physical fitness activities. 

    1. Specifically, Clause 6(c) amends Section 8(f) to specify that research and study in sports and physical fitness activities includes sports science, sports medicine and other subjects that are related to sports and physical fitness activities. 

       1. The field of sports science has advanced significantly, and is now integral to public health initiatives and high-performance sport development both locally and abroad. 

       2. Active Health programmes, grounded in sports and exercise science, will also play a larger role in helping our seniors lead longer, stronger and healthier lives.

    2. These amendments signal Singapore's increased commitment to sports science and sports medicine as foundational elements in supporting our nation's next bound in sports and physical fitness activities.

70. Collectively, these moves support Singaporeans’ diverse sporting aspirations and is consistent with the wider local and international developments, including at Major Games. 

    1. The gameplay and disciplines of mind sports and e-sports will continue to evolve. Therefore, the updated definition of sports in the Bill – 

       1. Takes a balanced and future-ready approach to support newer and more varied forms of sporting participation and sporting excellence by Singaporeans. 

    2. SportSG will calibrate its support for these activities and sports based on their specific needs, governance standards and contributions to national sporting objectives. 

Other Technical Amendments

71. Lastly, the Bill includes and introduces technical amendments to align the Act to the key moves that I have discussed.

    1. Clause 4 of the Bill amends Section 4 of the Act to increase the maximum size of SportSG’s Board from 15 to 25 members, so that more expertise can be brought on board as needed.

    2. Clause 7 of the Bill sets out a detailed list of updates to the powers of SportSG under Section 9 of the Act, to align them with the expanded functions of SportSG in Section 8 of the Act.  

Conclusion 

72. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, the Bill is an important enabler in driving Singapore’s sporting culture, and for our national sport ecosystem to be inclusive, dynamic and future-ready. 

    1. It reaffirms that sport is for everyone, regardless of age or ability, and our effort for every Singaporean to live better through sport.  

    2. It states in one voice our support for Team Singapore athletes, and our effort to nurture every athlete to fulfil their fullest sporting potential. 

    3. We will continue to work closely with partners in the sport ecosystem and industry to ensure smooth implementation of this Bill. 

73. Sir, I beg to move.

¹ Based on the National Sport and Exercise Participation Survey (NSPS) conducted by SportSG, 2015 (54%) and 2025 (76%) findings, which defines regular participation in sport as engaging in sporting activities at least once a week.