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by CHIA HAN KEONG
SPORTS should not be fixated on money. Still, money issues have unsurprisingly dominated, even clouded, much of the global sports scene in this economic downturn.
Sports franchises in the United States are bracing themselves for hard times. For example, half of the 30 National Basketball Association teams needed financial help to stay afloat.
Uefa, Europe's football governing body, is sufficiently spooked to propose cost-cutting measures, like salary caps and squad reductions, to clubs. The biggest worries lie with the Olympic host cities.
London is taking steps to reduce the spiralling costs of hosting the 2012 Olympics, by embracing every possible cost-saving measure.
Indeed, the four candidates vying to host the 2016 Summer Games - Tokyo, Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro - have based their campaigns on their financial security amid this economic recession.
Which brings us to Singapore's hosting of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
It appears that the unbridled enthusiasm that engulfed the Republic after winning the hosting bid last February has been tempered by more than a hint of scepticism amid this economic climate.
Time and again, the Games' organising committee has had to fend off questions like "Is it worth spending this much?", or "Are you sure we can get enough sponsorships to defray the organising costs?"
Translated, it means that some Singaporeans are not keen on this "extra" expenditure.
While having such reservations is perhaps understandable in these times, it is a myopic view.
Firstly, the Youth Olympics is on a far smaller scale than the actual Olympics.
No extra stadiums will be built, for instance. That rules out fears of the infrastructure becoming white elephants after the Games.
More importantly, by spending now, we may be able to reap economic benefits in the future.
After all, the Youth Olympics, as well as this year's Asian Youth Games, are symbols of global goodwill.
A well-run Games event should be one where organisers spare no expense in letting every participant leave with great memories.
Such positive gestures will surely garner positive reciprocation, with new business opportunities among them.
Indeed, Singapore should not let this current economic climate detract it from setting a high standard for the inaugural Games here.
To be fixated on money is to be short-sighted about the positive influence of sports.
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