On several occasions, I have had the privilege of standing atop the victory stand to receive a medal for winning in an event in either a local or international competition. And each time I leaned forward as the medal was placed on my shoulders, I would feel the irrevocable sense of achievement, not only because I won the event, but because I could finally taste the fruits of the previous months of intensive training. Medals are more than an award for winning an event. To the athlete; they are an emblem of his hard work, and a memento that he has proved himself to be the best on that very day and time. To the media and the public, a medal sometimes subconsciously implies the expectation to be a role model.
The question of whether winning a medal for Singapore would change an athlete largely depends on the individual. It is without doubt that outstanding performances at international or regional meets such as the Olympics, Asian Games, and even the SEA Games garners media attention. Personally, the feeling of opening the newspaper to see that I have been recognized for good performances is like adding extra cherries to an already perfect cake. Sometimes even, lucrative sponsorships are presented to the individual and he gets the chance to be a representative of the brand and this is always exciting.
However, what people sometimes fail to see is that amidst the fame and recognition, athletes also have to deal with the underlying pressures of being scrutinized by the media and the public, especially when they are as famous as the former local swimming star like Joscelin Yeo. There are expectations to be a role model and sometimes, even an image of perfection in the eyes of the readers. Whilst an athlete’s achievements are glorified, like a double edged sword, his downfalls are also ridiculed – the greater the fame and recognition, the greater the expectations of the sponsors, the media and the public. By this, I mean not only in terms of how well a medal-winning athlete performs at future competitions, rather, how well he performs in every aspect of his life.
Take for instance, Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian who ever lived, winning an immaculate 8 gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After all the praise, he was hit with international scrutiny news arose that he had allegedly smoked weed from a bong. Apart from being dropped by sponsor “Kelloggs”, the sports star even had to make a public apology regarding the issue.
Phelps said: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”
The pressures and expectations come when children and young athletes admire the athlete as a role model and sometimes even a hero. It is always a huge disappointment when the perfect ivory image is stained by an act of recklessness.
To a small extent, yes. Although my drive to continue improving myself in the swimming arena, my personality and character traits are all still the same, it does however make me more aware of how I conduct myself when in the light of the media and the public. What certainly makes dealing with the “pressure” easier is the backing of a strong set of values from my upbringing.
Echoed in what producer and nephew of Walt Disney, Roy Disney, said, “It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”
Parker Lam is one of Singapore’s National Swimmers and record holders. He won Gold at the Asian Swimming Championships in 2009
