Cambodia and Singapore will formalise a long term agreement on Monday to strengthen bilateral relationship and co-operation between the two Asean fraternal members in the field of sports.

President of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia Thong Khon and his Singaporean counter part Tan Chuan-Jin will sign this historic pact in the city-state to set in motion a partnership arrangement that will bring the sports fraternities in both countries closer together for the next three to six years.

The agreement will be in effect till December 31, 2020, and if neither side do not seek any changes or cancellation within six months of this expiry date, it will be automatically extended for another three years.

Singapore and Cambodia, however, will execute an annual Protocol of Exchange for each year of the term of this agreement to document planned activities for that period.

With both Singapore National Olympic Council and National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) honouring the Olympic Charter as the all-encompassing basis of the Olympic Movement, the two countries have pledged full communications and co-operation in the consistent application of fair play principles at all levels of sports activities in which they participate.

Both the national sports bodies will place greater emphasis on good training and development of athletes and coaches besides encouraging regular exchanges of officials, staff, trainers, judges, experts and scientists for participation in seminars, courses and consultations.

Fight against doping

Under the agreement, national sports federations in both countries will be facilitated to engage in separate exchanges including joint training between Singaporean and Cambodian National senior and Junior teams in various disciplines. Provisions have also been made for provincial and club teams to visit each other.

In conformity with the international fight against doping in sport, Singapore and Cambodia will individually and collectively work against doping abuse both at the national and international levels.

“It is highly beneficial for Cambodia to be in this wide ranging partnership with one of the Region’s leading Sporting nations like Singapore. It opens up exciting prospects for both sides and we look forward to an era of shared prosperity in the coming years,” said NOCC Secretary-General Vath Chamroeun, who will be accompanying Tourism Minister and NOCC Chief Thong Khon on this epoch-making trip.

“As hosts of multiple SEA Games and other major regional and International events, Singapore’s organizational experience and excellence could be of crucial help to Cambodia as we prepare for staging the 2023 SEA Games as hosts of this regional sports spectacle for the first time since its inception eight decades ago” Chamroeun noted.