NAY PYI TAW February 3
Uplifting sports skills means improving defence capability of the State. Taking sports exercises helps strengthen body structure, motivate active moods for competitors as well as spectators and emerge patriotic spirit. As such, it needs to enhance sport sector of the Tatmadaw while systematically turning out qualified athletes, said Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the meeting on sports of the Tatmadaw held at Zeyathiri Tatmadaw Stadium, here, this morning.
Also present at the meeting were Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Mya Tun Oo, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung MaungKyaw, senior military officers, commanders, chairmen and secretaries of the Tatmadaw Sports and Physical Education Management Board and the Tatmadaw Sports Committees.
Chairman of Tatmadaw Sports and Physical Education Management Board Adjutant General Lt-Gen Myo Zaw Thein reported on undertakings for sports of the Tatmadaw, and participations in internal and international sports competitions. Officials of the Tatmadaw Sports Committees presented reports on sports activities.
In giving guidance on sports activities of the Tatmadaw, the Senior General said uplifting sports skills means improving defence capability of the State. Taking sports exercises helps strengthen body structure, motivate active moods not only for competitors but also for spectators and emerge patriotic spirit. Servicemen need to have health and fitness with patriotic spirit in discharging defence duty. Sports competitions are held one after another in order to turn out good and capable Tatmadaw athletes. Service persons are arranged to take part in five suitable sports events such as football, volleyball, shooting, boxing and track and field events related to the State defence without fail. In fact, they have to focus on competition but not on winning or lossing.
Although the Tatmadaw is not an institution to turn out athletes for the State, it must have to produce qualified sports persons. The Senior General noted if everybody wishes to have success and development elsewhere, they themselves need to try hard and work with critical thinking and initiative. He stressed the need to encourage sports sector.
As such, sports grounds and gymnasiums meeting set standards are being facilitated so as to turn out outstanding athletes. Moreover, they are provided with sports gears and physical requirements. Coaches must be qualified in techniques and physical strengths. Athletes must take training with vigorous efforts under control of technique coaches and physical trainers. Athletes must be given nutritious foods for having powerful strength, health and fitness. They have to review the practice of eating rice as main meal and replace it with eating wheat, meat, fish and egg to have physical growth and strength. Only when athletes win the sports events, will they have active spirit. Turning out successful athletes will be models for new generation athletes.
Athletes must be chosen for training with farsightedness in the long run based on their skills, health and fitness, age, morality, disciplines and enthusiasm. Athletes and coaches should have a wider range of knowledge not only on physical strength but also on techniques. They must have knowledge about different types of sports using techniques of playing and strength. That is why it is necessary to select athletes with high intelligent level. Although medical checkups are being provided for health and fitness, managers, coaches and athletes must totally avoid consumption of liquor, betel quid and cigarette and enjoy their lifestyle based on conscientiousness. The Senior General urged officials to steer the athletes and coaches towards the correct way.
The Senior General said Tatmadaw athletes who bring honour to the Tatmadaw and secure medals for the State must be recognized with deserved honour. Their basic needs and future lives must be guaranteed for outstanding athletes who brought prestige to the State. It is necessary to organize adult, youth and invitational sports competitions while young athletes must be scouted for better training. The Senior General urged respective Tatmadaw sports committees to strive for achieving successes in sports events, systematically conduct sports courses and coaching courses so as to turn out qualified athletes and coaches, all Tatmadaw members and families to join health activities, continuously take outdoor and indoor games as well as health sports in all seasons without choosing times such as summer holidays and December sports month, and systematically take sports activities depending on their hobbies and relaxation in spare times.
