Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

FAS, MSF should support efforts to help ex-FAS chief

I was saddened to read of the plight of former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) chief N Ganesan, who is in a nursing home, bedridden with a speech impediment and memory lapses, and unable to pay his nursing home bills.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp
Raymond Anthony Fernando

I was saddened to read of the plight of former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) chief N Ganesan, who is in a nursing home, bedridden with a speech impediment and memory lapses, and unable to pay his nursing home bills.

But I am also encouraged that there are kind-hearted people like Singapore Cricket Club President Gurcharan Singh and a group of people who call themselves Friends of Ganesan who are rallying around the legendary ex-FAS chief to raise money for him.

Mr Ganesan sacrificed a lot of time and effort, at times forking out his own money, to bring glory to football in Singapore for one simple reason: He was passionate about the game.

I never failed to catch any of the Malaysia Cup matches on TV when Mr Ganesan led football greats like Quah Kim Song, Dollah Kassim, S Rajagopal, Mohamed Noor and many more to bring glory to Singapore.

Fans from the 1970s and 1980s will remember this man who brought Malaysia Cup fever to this region. In doing so, Mr Ganesan not only raised football to high standards, but was also able to bring in revenue to the FAS; tickets to matches at the National Stadium were always sold out.

Many of the foreign players who donned Singapore colours and brought home medals have been rewarded with attractive monetary incentives. But how much appreciation, support and recognition do we give to our citizens who have a love of the sport, as in Mr Ganesan’s case?

Everyone should work, play, live and die with dignity and so should Mr Ganesan. This is the mark of a gracious and compassionate society.

To this end, I urge the FAS and even the Ministry of Social and Family Development to come alongside the Friends of Ganesan and help raise funds for Mr Ganesan to accord him the recognition, support and kindness he deserves.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.