Rich will just get richer !

The other Singapore 'Lions' you should know
by Lim Weixiang
10 June 2014 2:43 PM | Updated 3:15 PM


See what your friends are reading
The other Singapore 'Lions' you should know
The Deaf Lions gather for a group photo before a friendly game at the Jurong Stadium in Singapore (Photo: Lim Weixiang)

When football fans in Singapore are busy watching their favourite football teams from Brazil, England or Germany for the FIFA World Cup 2014, a group of footballers from Singapore will be quietly travelling to Malacca to play their version of the "World Cup" – The Malaysia Deaf Games.

They call themselves The Deaf Lions, a squad of hearing-impaired players banded by the Deaf Sports Association (Singapore).






Volunteer sign-language interpreter Irene Lee giving a player detailed instructions at the sideline while a game is in play (Photo: Lim Weixiang)

They are passionate about the game and take it seriously, and are certainly not motivated by money. They even have to take time off from their full-time jobs to take part in the tournament, which takes place from 14 to 21 June.

The cost of sending the team to Malacca to compete is $6,500 and many of the players have already turned to their family and friends for donations.

They are still $2,500 short, but Loh Eng Meng, president of the Deaf Sports Association who is himself also hearing-impaired, has volunteered to fork out whatever shortfall should donations fail to cover the cost.



Coach Burhari Sarwan and sign-language interpreter Irene Lee waving to try to catch the attention of the players (Photo: Lim Weixiang)

Team captain David Ong, 34, is a car groomer whose work ends at 7pm on weekdays. Midfielder Muhsin Muhammad Johari, 30, works from home as an administration assistant. He takes care of his infant son and daughter while his wife is out working.

The team trains only on the weekends, Loh explained, with friendly games on Saturdays, and training on Sundays.

Ong said: "Everyone in the team is hugely passionate about football, but we also need to earn a living. We sacrifice our social life (on weekends).”

NO GOVERNMENT FUNDING

The players and the management have had their own share of difficulties to make matches happen and the team going.

For starters, The Deaf Lions do not get any government funding. Thankfully, sponsors such as SportCares Foundation and Thorb have stepped in to help them out.

SportCares provides the team with a coach, a training venue at the Singapore Sports School, and organises friendly matches for them, while homegrown sports apparel brand Thorb provides their attire.

Kristian Thorbjornsen, 33, managing director of Thorb, says that it was the dedication and determination he sees in the players that prompted him to work with the team in 2010.



Coach Buhari sometimes uses coloured cards to give the players instructions (Photo: Lim Weixiang)

Communication on the field during a game is also challenging due to their hearing disability.

Coach Burhari Sarwan, 53, a physical education teacher at ITE College West, said: "Skill-wise, the players are comparable to an average player, and many display above-average determination, but tactically, they are at a distinct disadvantage because it is a big challenge to relay instructions to the team, especially when the game is ongoing.“We can wave and gesticulate, but if the player is on the other side of the field, he will not see us."

This is why Burhari has to wave large coloured cards by the pitch to convey simple instructions to the players. He sometimes has to pull a player out to the sidelines during the game to give detailed instructions.

Ong added that there are times when volunteer sign-language interpreters are unable to be present during training. That means no communication between the players and their coach.

The players "can only look at the coach's body language to try to figure out the gist of his instructions".



Coach Burhari Sarwan (right) gives the team instructions, while volunteer sign-language interpreter Irene Lee translates (Photo: Lim Weixiang)

Friendly games with other football teams sometimes pose a problem as well.

Unlike in official games for the deaf, where the referees wave a small flag to signal a violation, the referees in Singapore still rely on whistles and that leads to confusion at times. The players are unsure whether play has stopped or whether it is still ongoing.

Muhsin said: "It can be demoralising at times. We are not sure if play has stopped or not, then we concede a goal because of it. Times like that reminds us that we are different from people who have normal hearing.”

Donations to the Deaf Lions can be made at the Deaf Sports Association website.

Rich will just get richer !