Permanent Athletic Hall of Fame for the Philippines.

Essay by marilouieUniversity, Master'sB, January 2006

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I. Executive Summary

From the time the Olympic Movement was founded, sports have undergone a lot of changes. Over these years, sports has transformed into what is now very complex, very scientific, very competitive and very expensive. Most of the developed countries particularly the US, UK, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, took the lead in initiating reforms in their sports system. More recently, China, Korea have likewise taken necessary steps to improve their performance in international competitions. Even our neighboring countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia have moved towards the same direction. Vietnam, which was ravaged by war, has also adjusted its programs to gain international prominence in sports. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the Philippines.

We were once a superpower in sports, not just in the Southeast Asian region but also in the whole of Asia. Our athletes excel in many fields such as Track & Field, Swimming, Baseball, Tennis, and volleyball while dominating most of basketball competitions in Asia until about thirty years ago.

Our standing in Asian sports has declined dramatically as compared with countries like China, South Korea, Japan and several countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Given the opportunity and appropriate support, Filipinos have the talents and skills to excel in sports. And like many other 3rd world countries, Sports rely heavily on government support. Performance of athletes in international competitions is usually determined by the support that sports receive from government.

Sports are important to government. It is a tool for nation building; it promotes fitness and healthy lifestyle; it supports the concepts of excellence, teamwork and fair play; it also promotes national pride and international goodwill. The achievements of our athletes in international competition bring immeasurable benefits to the government and to the entire country. It not only brings...