Thursday, 6 March 2008

Different Ideas on Preparing National Athletes

Posted on 6 March 2008.
The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 550

“Phnom Penh: Mr. Som Sokyee, the Deputy President of the National Sports Training Center, said that his center was seeking to increase the rations and the pocket money for national sportsmen and sportswomen.

“However, some athletes would prefer to eliminate spending of money for collective meals and for accommodation, but to give the money for meals and for accommodation directly to the sportsmen and sportswomen so that they can manage these by themselves.

“Mr. Som Sokyee disagreed with this request for money to help solve their daily living expenses. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports had created the National Sports Training Center with the aim at giving sportspeople enough energy to receive training to enhance their sporting skills.

“He added that the rations for each sportsperson is Riel 15,000 per day [approx. US$3.75], and the pocket money for each of them is Riel 120,000 per month [US$30]. This year, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is negotiating with several ministries to increase the ration from Riel 15,000 to Riel 25,000 [US$6.25], and the pocket money from Riel 120,000 to Riel 150,000 [US$37.50].

“Mr. Hem Thon, the Secretary General of the Khmer Swimming Sport Federation, mentioned also that with strong sportspeople, technical skills and mental skills go together. He added that nowadays, mental stress is a serious problem, because during the season of selecting sportspeople, much money is spent on gasoline to ride motorbikes to get the meals. If there would be an accident riding a motorbike, who will be responsible?

“Mr. Hem Thon expressed his intention to ask the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to pay the rations for sportspeople directly to them, so that they manage them themselves.

“Mr. Bun Sok, a Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, explained that sportspeople need sufficient calories to train and to improve their sporting skills. Therefore they must get appropriate food, ensuring that they have enough energy for the training. He added, “If we pay the rations to them to manage them by themselves, the money might be spent not only for themselves, but also for their families. Therefore they might not have sufficient food to gain enough strength in order to engage in the training.

“At present, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the National Sports Training Center prepare appropriate meals for selected national sportspeople for nine months each year.

“Mr. Thong Khun, the President of the Cambodian Olympic Committee, considers the action by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to be reasonable.

“It should be noted that this year, the National Sports Training Center will select national sportspeople for 20 sports events, including 203 sportsmen and 63 sportswomen. They will be trained by 51 coaches and will be under the supervision of 23 trainers.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol. 16, #4532, 5.3.2008

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