Sporting Nation

While doing some research at work today, I came across a decision of the Federal Court of Australia, which categorically stated that Melbourne is the sporting capital of
Australia (Adrenalin International Powersports Pty Ltd v John Caines Management Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 206 10 March 2004). So all you Sydney-siders, there’s your legal endorsement so save your efforts. Although the judge concerned (one Marshall J) actually started his judgment with this very categorical statement, he of course followed it up with some examples of events held in
Melbourne, to substantiate his very bold (but true) claim. A Melburnian would readily appreciate what Marshall J was talking about. Australians love sports and excel in the sports they play in and Melburnians immerse themselves in soaking up such excellence, going all out at such events to be part of them. Sure, there is the occasional event requiring bus loads of school kids to prevent the embarrassment of empty seats but that is down to poor planning which result in an event overdose.  Of course, if you are not living in
Australia, you would not, like an ex-(Australian) boss of mine was wont to say, give a flying continental. Indeed, as far as the rest of the world is concerned: so what? Well for one thing, it is a fantastic lesson for someone like the brilliant Malaysian government (yes, them again – they are and have always been, my favourite piñata) who are world champion perpetrators of self-grandeur. The pre-occupation with building massive facilities when neither the performance nor the spectator interests are there to justify them is always infuriatingly curious.Of course, the true intention of the government is almost (I’m being generous) always to line their own pockets, for why else would you build huge sports facilities when you are a nobody in world sports? It wins an All-England badminton trophy every 10 years or so. It flatters to deceive in field hockey. It struggles to keep up with its neighbour in sepak takraw, a sport it invented. It sucks in football, a sport it excelled in 30 years ago when it used to hold its own against the now mighty Koreans. JS Park is now a household name, known across the world as the nippy winger down the right or left channels of the Theatre of Dreams. I doubt if many Malaysians can even name the First XI of the Malaysian football team. It sounds like a no-brainer but I guess it is too much to ask the government to simply develop various sports at school level, and spend the money there, instead of building grandiose stadium and complexes. I know a journalist from a Malaysian daily has recently gone to
London to take a closer look at the Sports Minister’s building project there. Maybe he’ll write something soon, as well. The point must be: have excellence in the sports first, which can be achieved without all those construction project. Maybe the ministers’ retirement funds or their mistresses’ jewellery collection need those projects but not Malaysian sports don’t. You must then create spectator interest, which is loads easier once the athletes start to deliver performances. In other words, you want to be a sports capital, you gotta love sports.