Meet the Non-Candidates for IOC President: Ser Miang Ng

(ATR) Around the Rings interviews possible candidates for the IOC presidency – today, Ser Miang Ng of Singapore.

Our series includes interviews with four (so far) of the most-mentioned possible contenders to succeed Jacques Rogge next year. None of the four has yet to declare anything more than an interest in considering a run for the post. Formal notice is due in June 2013.

Along with Ng, the series this week features interviews with Thomas Bach (Aug. 20), Rene Fasel (Aug. 21) and Richard Carrion (Aug. 22). All were conducted in London during the Olympic Games.

All gingerly stepped around their current status as non-candidates. IOC rules for the campaign put a damper on public debate and statements outside of a manifesto for IOC members to review.

Ng, 63, has been an IOC member since 1998 and is serving a second term as a member of the Executive Board, as a vice president. Ng was instrumental in the bidding and staging of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. His professional career has been in business and diplomacy.

Around the Rings: What do you think about the London Games? It seems to have been a very positive experience for the most part.

Ser Miang Ng: I think it’s beautifully done. The worry about whether or not this is going to measure up to Beijing is a non-issue. But I think we always believed that every Games is unique and U.K. has strong tradition, unique culture. The use of so many iconic venues in Greenwich, Horse Guards Parade, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Wembley. I think it’s just amazing.

ATR: When will the Olympics get a chance to do something like that again? There are few cities in the world that have such a collection of venues.

SMN: Definitely so, London is really unique and what is also unique here is such a strong sporting culture, so the spectators know the sport. They know each of the sports. They know the rules, they know how the competitions are, and they appreciate it, and this really adds to the atmosphere of each of the venues I’ve been to and I’ve experienced. It's really amazing.

ATR: Is it a different atmosphere than, say, in Beijing? Noticeably different spectators?

SMN: Well, I think the spectators are slightly different, so I think also the Beijing spectators they cheer and they were supportive. Here, I think the other thing are the volunteers have really been fantastic. There are volunteers all over and at every event they have been friendly. Here is no exception. They are very polite, they are friendly, they are always smiling. They always greet you even late in the night when all of us are tired and coming back from a day’s activities, coming back to the hotel. They look as fresh, as cheerful, as supportive as ever.

I think also the use of the armed forces to do security, that has been a brilliant idea as well. No exceptions. They are very courteous, very polite, very friendly, and wow, I feel very secure seeing them in uniform. Very firm, but very polite, just the right touch.

ATR: People were worried initially about security, especially with the controversy last month about whether there would be enough security personnel. Given the Games have come to a close without an incident, you’d have to give security very high marks?

SMN: I think yes, you give them full marks in fact. The security has always been a concern, and a lot of the work is done without public knowledge so I think the actual work that has been happening I would say they have done a marvellous job. Really excellent, security has always been a concern for any Games.

ATR: Then transportation was maybe the biggest worry. Would London’s tube system be able to handle the load, whether the roads would be too crowded? In the end, it also seemed to be carried out well?

SMN: I would also think that you know in areas where there is a lot of concern, where a lot more effort has been put into it, at the end of the day solutions are found. I think what was also very useful and very effective was the ability to react to changing situations and challenges.

London transport, to me personally, I thought it was a challenge, but I don’t think it was a big concern to me. I’ve been in similar business, and for many years Singapore has been using London transports as a consultant, we bring consultants from London to Singapore to help us with our transport, so I know they have a really strong expertise.

ATR: Were you surprised there were no problems, whether with security or with transportation?

SMN: Well, I think we have a very high expectation, but I think I was too pleasantly surprised. I think it went on so smoothly without a hitch.

ATR: And when you don’t have to worry about issues like that, people tend to focus on sport and the athletes?

SMN: Yes, and sport I think has been marvelous. I think the level of competition, the spirit of the athletes, their performances, the records they are breaking, and to me I think it was particularly exciting to see the young Olympians that came to the Games in London from Singapore. That is really a joy. Even a sense of satisfaction that the Youth Games have been able to help create young champions and giving these young athletes a platform to be discovered and coming on to the London Games.

ATR: Are there any signs here that the IOC needs to look at the size of the Games? Is there a worry that they are getting too big to handle for most cities?

SMN: The Games themselves, to accommodate this many sports, this many events individually, it would be complex. But I think since 2000, the IOC has been working on this, on containing and controlling the size of the Games.

I think we have done a good job, and I think more work needs to be done and care needs to be taken into account and we need to make sure it does not grow beyond this. But I said I think it’s been proven by London, by Beijing, by Athens that this size is probably the optimum we can have and still manage.

ATR: What about the question you have in the coming months about potentially having to cut a sport from the Olympic program? That’s a difficult decision?

SMN: I don’t think it’s going to be cutting a sport from the Olympic program but bringing the core to 25 and allowing three others, and allowing many other sports to be included in the program.

So it would help over time to maintain the relevance of the Games to changing times to the changes and tastes and preferences and the interests of the youth as well. I think it is a move in the right direction as well.

ATR: So any changes won’t take place until 2024. That’s 12 years from now. Is that quick enough to stay relevant to keep up with the changing sport landscape?

SMN:Well, I think that is probably the sort of timing we can look at. I think for athletes to prepare for a new sport, for a new sport to prepare for the Olympics. The magic of being in training to be included in the Olympic Games will attract greater interest from more countries, from more athletes, so allowing enough time for people to get ready for it, to discover new talents, it’s going to take time as well.

ATR: The IOC also has to look at electing a new president in the next year. You were mentioned as one of the people that could be considering that. Any thoughts on when you might make a decision?

SMN: Well, I think we will after London Games we will be looking at Sochi, we will be looking at Rio and definitely the membership will be looking at the new challenges facing the IOC for the future. And definitely they will be looking at a new president, so I think this is something we need to make. Something I’ve been thinking about as well.

ATR: But you don’t need to make a decision until at least next June. Do you need to do it beforehand? Making some choice about whether you are going to be a candidate?

SMN: I think that I believe the potential candidates will be looking at the timeline and probably take some discussion between now and June.

ATR: Everybody is very careful about how they talk about interest in running for president. What do you think IOC members are looking for when they are electing a new president?

SMN: I think we are living in the world that is changing, at least economically, facing a lot of challenges.

I’m sure membership will be looking at a president that can take us through and build on President Rogge and President Samaranch’s work and to build on the challenges facing the Olympic Movement in the future – not just the IOC, but the NOCs and IFs because of this changing economical and political landscape.

ATR: When you talk about economic challenges, how do you think the IOC needs to react or respond to these challenges?

SMN: I think that under the leadership of President Rogge the IOC has done really well financially and strengthening its core, so moving forward, I think it is more working, pursuing very prudent policy and working with our partners in the Olympic family as well as sponsors and other partners.

ATR: And you mentioned a new IOC Executive Board. There are nine new faces on the EB. Do you think it will change much? Do you think it will be a different way of working with a new group of people on board?

SMN: I think whenever there's a new group of new members, I think they bring with them new energy and new ideas and new things for the EB as well. I look forward to that.

ATR: Any concerns about Rio de Janeiro? The IOC has been suggesting that they need to do a little faster work, more coordination and more worry about delays. What do you hear?

SMN: I am not involved in the coordination, but I think different cities prepare the Games on different timelines. Definitely, deadlines need to be respected and I believe that the experience in the London Games would give a lot of new improvements and ideas and new energy into Rio’s preparations.

We talked earlier about the uniqueness of London, and these iconic sites which were brilliantly transformed into competition venues. Rio, I think we are going to have similar experiences with Latin American culture and tradition. It will give energy and an excellent contrast to the London Games. I really look forward to that, so close to the sea and that’s something close to my heart, as a sailor and from Singapore.

ATR: These will be the first Olympic Games on the Atlantic Ocean.

SMN: Absolutely, for me that’s going to be a new frontier for us. It's going to be very exciting, and one day we will have the Games in Africa. Then we are truly universal.

ATR: I hear IOC members talk about how they would really like to see the Olympics come back to the United States and there’s talk now on the part of the U.S. on making a bid possibly for 2024. How important is that for a U.S. Olympic Games to come up sometime soon?

SMN: I think that U.S., USOC, U.S. athletes are a really important part of the Olympic Movement. I believe that the USOC will launch a bid. It’s going to be very exciting. It's going to be a very strong bid. To have the big NOCs active in the Olympic Movement is really very important.

ATR: Do you think IOC opinions about the U.S. have changed or will have changed enough since the last vote? Because the U.S. was embarrassed from the Chicago results.

SMN: I think it was really Rio de Janeiro’s time to win. I must give great credit to Chicago for a really outstanding bid as well. I was in Chicago many times because of business, and one of my daughters was studying there. It’s a great city. Sometimes these bids are also about timing. The timing was just not right. It was just Rio de Janeiro’s time and South America’s time to host an Olympic Games.

ATR: So many U.S. times to host an Olympics, maybe Africa’s time to host an Olympics?

SMN: I think now when we talk about the size of the Games, the complexities, not many cities would be able to host, but when you think about it, there are many big cities, many exciting cities that have not hosted the Games before, and they will be able to put out very strong bids.

ATR: How about Los Angeles a third time?

SMN: Well, I think all the big U.S. cities are always a potential to bid and host. West Coast, East Coast, the Southern states. I think the U.S. is so huge, so many resources and capabilities as well.

Conducted in London by Ed Hula.