Germany, currently with an estimated 83 million population, has an effective sports program that the Philippines can learn from and emulate to become a sports power in Asia.
Airnel Abarra, a Filipino volunteer in the recent 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin Germany, shared on social media his observation of Germany’s vigorous sports scene, where the private sector takes an active participation.
“I always see in all German sports clubs the involvement of the community. In Germany there are more than 91,000 sports clubs that are self-sustaining,” said Abarra.
While he noted the discrepancy in economic conditions between the Philippines and Germany, he stressed though the need to work for “teamwork” among stakeholders.
“Of course, the socio-economic status of Germany and the Philippines are way different from each other. But there’s one thing that matters. Environment and the people that harnesses the potential in every athlete,” he said.
Since participating in the first Olympics in 1869, Germany has won a total of 902 medals, 305 of which were golds, 305 silvers, and 312 bronzes.
Germany is a sports power in canoeing, equestrian, rowing, athletics, cycling, gymnastics, and shooting, to name a few.
In the Philippines, the grassroots sports program and national sports program for national team members are mostly, if not all, funded by the government.
