SAFETY AT SPORTS-RELATED EVENTS

SAFETY AT SPORTS-RELATED EVENTS:

(Provision of safety guidelines and medical support): 17.

Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what is the number of incidences of sports-related mortality over the last five years; (b) if there are any initiatives to enhance the safety culture in the national sports associations; and (c) whether regulatory measures should be

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implemented to ensure the provision of appropriate medical cover during all sports-related events.

18.

Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports what measures will be taken to ensure that qualified medical personnel and medical equipment are present during sports trial events and at common exercise areas such as gyms and schools.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Mr Teo Ser Luck) (for the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports): Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I would like to take Question Nos. 17 and 18 on sports safety by Mr Baey Yam Keng and Dr Lam Pin Min together as they both relate to the same issue.

Mr Speaker: Yes. You have four minutes though.

Mr Teo Ser Luck: I will try my best.

Sir, sports participation among Singaporeans has increased in recent years. According to our latest figures, one in two Singaporeans participates in sports or exercises at least once a week. In response to Dr Lam Pin Min's query, sports-related fatalities are not captured at the national level as the Registry of Births and Deaths tracks the number of deaths according to the International Classification of Disease, which categorises the cause of death by diseases and certain activities, such as motor accidents, poisoning, suicide, and accidental falls. There have been a total of 24 fatalities at public sports facilities over the last five years.

Currently, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) provides safety guidelines to the National Sports Associations and

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sports event organisers. These guidelines include the provision of first-aiders or paramedics, ambulance services with resuscitators and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), as well as safety briefings for participants.

Currently, all SSC Sports and Recreation Centres (SRCs) and the Singapore Sports School are equipped with AEDs. The SSC adheres to strict safety guidelines and practices in the SRCs, such as ensuring that ground staff have undergone training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED. Fitness instructors in SSC's gyms monitor the performance of users and advise them on proper methods during their training. The instructors pay particular attention to first-time gym users. Safety advisory notices on proper use of equipment are also displayed in prominent areas in the gyms.

Our schools follow strict safety guidelines and procedures while conducting physical education, co-curricular activities and other sporting activities. These guidelines include Physical Education lessons before 10.30 am and after 3.30 pm, unless indoor facilities are available, ensuring that students are well-hydrated during physical activity, and introducing physical activities progressively and at a level appropriate to the individual or group.

Mr Baey Yam Keng and Dr Lam asked about the measures to be taken to enhance the safety practices during sports events, in the National Sports Associations (NSAs) and at common exercise areas. As announced by my Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan on 30th June 2007, SSC has already set up a committee to look into the area of sports safety. This Sports Safety Committee will be chaired by Dr Benedict Tan, who is the Head of the Sports Medicine Centre at the Changi General Hospital. It will comprise

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experts from the medical and sports sectors, as well as members from the public, private and people sectors. It also includes a parent of a triathlete.

The committee will look into how to minimise unnecessary risks in sports and create a system of effective and best practices for sports safety for all stakeholders, such as NSAs, sports event organisers, sports facility operators, and so on. Some of the areas that the committee will cover are enhancing public awareness of sports safety, reviewing safety procedures and medical support for sports events, programmes, facilities, training and competencies of first responders in the event of injury or emergencies. The committee will put up a preliminary report to SSC in a month's time.

Sports safety is something we cannot afford to compromise on. And the SSC and the Sports Safety Committee will be working towards enhancing these sports safety systems and we have zero tolerance for it. But I urge all stakeholders and sports participants to play their part to make sports an enjoyable and safe experience for all. For instance, sports event organisers and facility providers should strictly adhere to the safety guidelines set by SSC. Sports participants, on the other hand, especially those of the weekend warriors and corporate warriors, should train progressively for vigorous and difficult activities, such as marathons and triathlons, and prepare themselves by doing the proper warm-up, monitor their overall health condition, go for regular medical screenings, and not push themselves to carry on when they do not feel well.

3.00 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question time.

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[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos. 23-24, 32-33, 37-38, 40, 42-43, 48 and 50-57 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix*. Question Nos. 19-22, 25-31, 34-36, 39, 41, 44-47, 49 and 58 have been postponed to the next available sitting of Parliament.]

*Cols. 1125-1154.