Inaugural Singapore National Games Scores A Hat Trick With Yonex and Mikasa

Inaugural Singapore National Games Scores A Hat-Trick With Yonex and Mikasa

Sponsorship Deal Worth S$2.65 Million is for Three Editions of the Games

Singapore, 11 July 2012 - Come September 2012, more than 3,000 volunteers, workforce officials and VIP guests of the inaugural Singapore National Games (SNG) 2012 will be decked out in official apparel and accessories such as waist pouches and water bottles by popular sport brand apparel, Yonex. This was made possible through the S$2.65 million sponsorship agreement inked today between SNG's co-organisers - the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and the People's Association (PA) - and Sunrise & Company Private Limited, distributor of Yonex in Singapore.

2. Yonex is also the official supplier of all equipment used in Badminton, one of the 10 sports in the SNG. Renowned game ball brand, Mikasa, also distributed by Sunrise & Company, will be the official ball provider for Basketball, Football and Netball.

3. Mr Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, was the Guest-of-Honour at the event to witness the sponsorship signing ceremony of Yonex as the Main Sponsor and Official Apparel, and Mikasa as the Official Partner of the 2012, 2014 and 2016 editions of the Games. The signing ceremony was held between Mr Lim Teck Yin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SSC, Mr Chia Tze Yee, Group Director (Engagement Cluster - Interests), on behalf of the Chief Executive Director of PA and Mr R M Seth, Director, Sunrise & Company Pte Ltd.

4. Commenting on the long-term partnership, Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of SSC said, "This extended sponsorship personifies the relationship we would like to see grow between Corporate Singapore and our sporting community. Corporate support is the foundation of our endeavours to realise Vision 2030. National sporting events such as SNG are great platforms for brands to showcase their promise to promoting sports, and serves as an excellent marketing tool to get their brand visibility to the whole of Singapore. I hope that more corporations will come forward to join us in inspiring more Singaporeans to be involved in sports."

5. All SNG medal winners can look forward to receiving a limited edition plush toy, Nila the Games mascot that Yonex will be producing. Members of the public can also keep a look out for SNG-related promotions in order to get their hands on this limited edition plush toy.

6. Mr R M Seth, Director, Sunrise & Company Pte Ltd, said, "Sunrise is proud to partner the Singapore National Games and we are pleased to be able to contribute to the growth of the local sporting community. Similar to what the SNG organisers hope to achieve, we too, believe in promoting healthy and active lifestyles in the community through sports."

7. Earlier this year, close to 10,000 residents took part in the annual Community Games, which served as the qualifying round for seven out of the 10 participating sports for the SNG in the years when it is held. To date, a total of 250 teams made up of Singaporeans, permanent residents and foreigners who reside in Singapore have qualified to compete in the Games come September.

8. The Singapore National Games is jointly organised by the Singapore Sports Council, the People's Association and its grassroots organisations, the Community Sports Clubs as well as the National Sports Associations of the 10 participating sports namely, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Dragon Boat, Football, Netball, Sepak Takraw, Swimming and Table Tennis. This multi-biennial sports festival in the country's sporting calendar will be held from 1 to 9 September 2012. It aims to bridge our communities where people of all ages, races and from different estates can participate and bond through competitive sports.

Annex A: Singapore National Games 2012 Fact Sheet

The Singapore National Games 2012 (SNG) is a new biennial multi-sports festival that bridges community participation and sports excellence, and will offer residents of all ages, races and from different estates the opportunity to be part of Singapore's exciting sporting landscape. From the Sunday sports enthusiast, the arm-chair commentator, to the serious athlete, all can now play, compete, support and volunteer.

The inaugural SNG will see community teams pitting against each other in ten sports. The SNG will be jointly organised by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), People's Association (PA) and its grassroots organisations, the Community Sports Clubs, as well as the National Sports Associations (NSAs) of the ten sports. It aims to be a meaningful and memorable sporting festival that ignites passion, builds character, and connects people and bonds Singaporeans.

The Community Games (CG), which is organised annually, will serve as the qualifying round for the SNG in the years when it is held. For 2012, CG was held from April to July and the SNG will be held from 1 to 9 September.

The ten sports featured in 2012 are: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Dragon Boat, Football, Netball, Sepak Takraw, Swimming and Table Tennis. To bring the competitions to the heart of the community, the 2012 Games will be held at various venues around Singapore, including Sports & Recreation Centres, Community Clubs, schools, the Bedok Reservoir and the Singapore Sports School. Teams will be formed according to geographical clusters. Winners will each be awarded a medal, with trophies being awarded to the winning teams.

Participation is open to Singapore Citizens as well as non-Citizens, including Singapore Permanent Residents. National athletes are also eligible to compete. However in general, National athletes and non-citizens may only make up at most 20% of the team size, or one member of the team, whichever is higher. In order to encourage wide participation from all age groups and races, as well as residents living in both public and private estates, team composition for all sports have been formulated through discussion with the respective NSAs. With various team mix requirements, it is intended that more enthusiasts with different abilities will be able to be part of this nation-wide competition.