Development of The ASEAN Sports Advisory Committee And The Addition of A Multi-tiered System.

Delegates of AMMS come together to shape the future of global athletic development.

The AMMS nations are focusing on enhancing the sports system as a whole, with a strong emphasis on improving coaching and grassroots programs. 

To improve coaching, the EU proposed the creation of centralised training programmes and centres for coaches globally. These centres would oversee and regulate training methods across member nations. 

Additionally, the development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sports Advisory Committee was discussed. The ASEAN Sports Advisory Committee (ASAC) will be put in place to further improve the ASEAN Work Plan on Sports, further strengthening sports policies and programmes. They aim to achieve this through a set of activities and advancing socio-cultural development. 

Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and the USA have suggested a tiered global sports exchange programme to add to the formation of the ASAC. This system will consist of three tiers and will stimulate previous exchange programmes with some changes. 

The first tier targets grassroots communities and schools. It focuses on introducing sports and identifying natural talent at a young age. Talented individuals will receive support to develop their skill sets early. 

Coaches in this tier will also be taught how to recognise talent in young individuals and how to further develop these skills. 

The second tier includes intermediate-level athletes. These are individuals who participate in school competitions, smaller regional events, or have long-term experience in the sport. 

Coaches in this tier will be taught the basics of sports science and higher-level training techniques to train athletes before the athletes go pro. 

The third tier is reserved for professional athletes. These athletes compete in international tournaments or major global events. 

Athletes from this tier will be trained by experienced coaches from countries such as China, Russia, and the USA. 

Past workshops that can be referenced from when planning this tiered programme is the recent Indonesia-hosted FIFA coach-education workshop. Attended by 19 associations across Asia and Oceania, the workshop focused on strategic planning, female coach recruitment, and elite-to-grassroots linkage.

Richer ASEAN countries, partners outside the region, and independent audits would provide the seed funding for this committee’s programmes. The delegate of Singapore emphasised that contributions from non‑ASEAN states are strictly for initial development and scholarship grants. It will not be a permanent funding solution. 

Her take on avoiding over-reliance on external funding will prevent crushing impacts in the event of withdrawal of financial support. This prevents incidents such as the suspension of the USA’s foreign aid to Myanmar in 2025.

She also states that as the programme gains momentum, more ASEAN nations will begin to recognise the importance of sports, shifting their priorities and eventually unlocking sustained funding from ASEAN governments, institutions, and corporations. 

In contrast, the delegate of the USA has expressed conflicting views on the proposed athlete exchange scheme. She voiced hesitation about allowing top national athletes to participate. Her concern is the potential for injury or losing athletes to other nations. 

The USA prefers that only beginner-level grassroots athletes be included in the exchange. She states that these athletes are not seen as valuable to national teams, and their exchange is considered less of a risk. 

The USA holds a similar stance regarding coaches. The delegate is not willing to send high-value national team coaches for exchange. Only lower-level coaches may be considered for this programme. 

The delegate of the USA clarified in the press conference that it would not be funding the committee and programmes but would provide manpower instead. In contradiction to previous statements, she insists that the ASEAN countries do not require monetary funding but are lacking in their number of good coaches. 

The contradictory remarks subtly suggested a reluctance to invest in regional collaboration, and many are now wondering what returns the USA will be satisfied with. 

By Ashley Goh