The Ministry of Defence’s announcement on Saturday (July 14) that it has rejected footballer Ben Davis’ application to defer his National Service (NS) so that he can play professional football for English side Fulham has sparked some debate.

With Davis having just signed a professional contract with the English Premier League side at the age of 17, some have criticised Mindef for possibly undermining the development of his footballing career path.

Others argued that the ministry did not take into consideration his potential future contributions to the national football team, even though this might be difficult to prove at this moment.

Mindef said the decision – made in consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth - was in line with its policy of granting deferment only to athletes who represent Singapore in international competitions like the Olympic Games, and who are potential medal winners for Singapore.

This is an issue close to my heart.

As a former national fencer and triathlete who served two-and-a-half years of NS, I had to grapple with the tensions between a sporting career and dreams of Olympic glory, and the need to serve my country.

Due to commitments in camp, I just about managed one session of training a week over the weekend.

To compensate, I brought a bicycle and stationary trainer to my room that enabled me to do some cycling training in camp, and also tried to fit in other training sessions around my unit’s schedule.

After serving my NS, I resumed my sporting career while attending university, and also in my early working years. I never made it to the Olympic Games, but had what was a personally fulfilling career representing Singapore in various other international events.

I cannot say if being able to defer my NS would have helped my sports career, but I did not meet the Mindef criteria anyway, so that point was moot.

What my experiences have shown me is that the issue facing young male athletes in Singapore and their NS is a complex one.

NATIONAL AGENDA VERSUS INDIVIDUAL ASPIRATIONS

Singapore’s position on conscription has been predicated on the principles of equality and universality – that every male Singaporean who is of age and is physically able should serve in the defence of the country.

The debate over the need for NS is a separate one, as is the discussion over the optimal duration for NS.

The principle that everyone should serve, regardless of status or background, is important for a country with a small population like Singapore.

At the same time, the opportunity to represent the country as an athlete is also an important privilege, bringing with it prestige and support derived from taxpayers’ monies disbursed by government agencies, as well as other commercial and material benefits from the private sector.

This requires a national athlete to align his individual sporting dreams with the national sporting objective, which comes down to competing and winning at the highest level.

Given these two national agenda – defence and sporting achievements – it’s no surprise then that the criteria for deferment from NS then points to the need to fulfill the sporting targets of the country as a key requirement.

Anything less would not be seen as adequate justification for the subjugation of one national agenda for another.

This might explain why the past three historical cases of national athletes securing deferment of their NS have involved sportsmen who clearly met the criteria.

Singapore's first Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling and fellow swimmer Quah Zheng Wen were given deferment from NS to compete at the 2016 Olympics and again for the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Sailor Maximillian Soh was the other athlete who was granted a year-long deferment in 2007 to compete at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

In Davis’ case, the situation is slightly different, in that he is requesting for deferment so that he can take up a professional contract with the newly promoted English Premier League side.

The one-year deal comes after he was awarded a scholarship with the club, and will see him earn a professional salary while also gaining valuable experience in one of the best leagues in the footballing world.

However, it is quite a different scenario from an athlete competing for the national team, in that he will be based overseas away from other local players, will earn a living from playing his sport, and will not be directly part of the Singapore sporting infrastructure.

Some would argue that this will be better for his career, especially given the Joseph Schooling example, and they may be right.

But that is not sufficient reason to then expect a deferment from NS, especially given that he is furthering his own career without simultaneously contributing to the national cause.

This might change in the future, but no one can predict that.

At the same time, Irfan and Ikhsan Fandi, sons of local football legend Fandi Ahmad, have made headlines for securing trials with various clubs in Europe and seem on the cusp of kicking off a professional career there. They have also been representing Singapore in various international competitions.

More importantly, both completed their NS commitments just this year.

WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE?

As a former national athlete and sports administrator, I can see why many in the sports fraternity point to NS as a major stumbling block in achieving sporting greatness.

It takes athletes away from a complete focus on their sport at what could be a crucial time for many.

But as a national serviceman, I also see the need for NS as an integral part of our defence policies, and for NS to then be an equal, fair and universal experience for all Singaporeans.

The calls by some to prioritise something like sport over national defence perhaps indicates a need for a harder look at Singaporeans’ perspectives and understanding of the concept of national defence and security.

There are also many benefits to serving in NS, especially for a young individual facing a career abroad away from the stabilising influences of home.

Independence, leadership, and the ability to work with and even lead a team, are just some of the attributes that NS can impart.

Already, Mindef exercises a certain amount of flexibility for national athletes serving NS, and also provides support for their training requirements under various schemes, should they meet the criteria.

This includes offering time off for the athletes to train and compete.

Perhaps we could consider bringing back the involvement of the SAF Sports Association, or Safsa, which was significantly more active during my NS days compared to today.

I remember fencing for Safsa in a number of national competitions, and being part of the dominant team those days.

Such options created more opportunities for training and competition across various sports, which could help NS to be seen as less of an impediment for athletic development.

Given Singapore’s small size and ageing population, the relevance and need for an institution such as NS will persist.

More than one million Singaporean sons have served NS, and have played a key part in ensuring the peace and stability in the country over the past five decades.

At the same time, the nation harbours hopes that the drive, enthusiasm and ambition of Singaporeans to take on the global sporting world and achieve glory for Team Singapore will not wane anytime soon.

As such, there is a need for NS and our sporting culture, nascent and undeveloped as it may be, to coexist and hopefully thrive and find synergies.

This is imperative given our relatively small talent pool and the many competing interests and pressures that all Singaporeans face, and the increasingly competitive sporting landscape in the region and around the world.

Ironically, the military and sports have long had a close relationship, with a strong sporting and physical culture underpinning many military traditions and armed forces around the world.

Indeed the Olympic sport of modern pentathlon was based on skills needed by a soldier to traverse a battlefield safely, and persists in the Olympic Games to this day.

Hopefully sports and NS will find a way to work together to ensure that Singapore and Singaporeans continue to achieve success in the years to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicholas Fang represented Singapore in fencing and triathlon in four South-east Asian (SEA) Games, as well as Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. He was Chef de Mission for Team Singapore at the 2015 SEA Games and a Nominated Member of Parliament.