Sonam Karma Tshering, Bhutan 

 

Secretary General
Bhutan Olympic Committee
Public Finance Program (’05)

 

  

 

You are currently Secretary General of the Bhutan Olympic Committee. Please give us a brief summary of the Olympic movement in Bhutan over the past two years and your role in this?

In Bhutan, the development of sport, since its inception, has been inconsistent, poorly informed and mismanaged. There has been a marked failure to appreciate the long-term social, health, economic, diplomatic and other strategic benefits that accrue from organized sports. The importance of sports has never been reflected in any national policy or strategy, and its inherent linkages to the social and political economy ignored.

 

However in light of the high proportion of youth population, increasing rural-to-urban migration, increasing urbanization and associated lifestyle-related problems, challenges that are part of development process and cannot be stopped, the importance of organised sport has recently been recognized. Sports and games directly or indirectly impact the lives of our citizens irrespective of age or gender and have significant potential to contribute positively to the national economy, culture, good governance, international relations, community spirit, overall health of the population and juvenile delinquency, among others.

 

As a result of this, there was felt an urgent need to reform and reorganize the sports sector in Bhutan. As we do not have a sports ministry, the mandate by default fell upon the Bhutan Olympic Committee. A new team was put in place, about two years ago, to help develop a focused and coherent sport development plan to strategically intervene to alleviate the above concerns and derive the full benefits of organized sports.

 

So over the last two years, what we have been trying to do at the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) is to leverage, to our advantage in terms of resources and focus, the strategic benefits of sports and its linkage to strategic national issues. To research and advocate the benefits of sports to the nation, its contribution to the economy, holistic education, health, promotion and preservation of traditional values, community and team spirit, role models, etc.

 

We have realized that the benefits from sport far outweigh the costs for its organized development and hence have initiated engagement with all stakeholders to come together and formulate a cohesive road map for sport development, so that we can realize the full potential of organized sports.

 

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your current position?

The absence of proper governance and administrative systems, inappropriate organizational arrangements, lack of a nationally representative sports base and sporting culture, mediocre human resources, inadequate funds, and poorly maintained infrastructure, are the main factors impeding the development of organized sports in the country. Although the BOC is an organization representative of a cause directly linked to “Gross National Happiness” (GNH), it is arguably one of the most dysfunctional and unorganized organizations.

 

The total fund earmarked for sport during the 10^th FYP is 0.18% of the total 10 FYP budget which is one of the lowest in the world.

 

There is a severe lack of human resource capacity, in terms of quantity and quality, in the sport sector. Most federations are managed by executive committees, comprising mainly of volunteers who lack any accountability for their performance. Attracting appropriate talent and skills to enable professional excellence in sports is a major challenge due to lack of career advancement and employment opportunities, as well as poor coaching and skill development programs.

 

BOC manages various sports infrastructure, all of which are confined to Thimphu. However, BOC does not have legal ownership over any of these facilities. While substantial sports infrastructure facilities exist in the country, approximately 80% of all facilities are owned by schools and institutions and are either poorly maintained or are less accessible to local communities. 

 

When did Bhutan first join in the Olympics? How many athletes did participate this year?

The National Sports Association of Bhutan (NSAB), established in 1972, was the precursor of the BOC. The NSAB continued to function as the national sports governing body until the formation of the BOC in 1983. The BOC was established in 23^rd November 1983, for the development of sports in the country and we now have 15 National Sports Federations affiliated to us.

 

Bhutan first took part in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where we sent a team of archers. Since then, we have been sending only archers to all editions of the Summer Olympic games. This year however for the first time ever, a shooter also participated in the London Olympics. So we had a female archer and female shooter in the London Games. I think ours was the only “all female team” at the Olympic Games this year. Our contribution to gender equality.

 

Our best performance was at the Athens Olympics, where one of our archers actually managed to knock out a top seeded archer and progress to the second round. However in the second round, her nerves got the better of her.  

 

	Olympics	Year	Venue	Athletes	Discipline
1	XXIII Olympiad	1984	Los Angeles	6	Archery
2	XXIV Olympiad	1988	Seoul	4	Archery
3	XXV Olympiad	1992	Barcelona	6	Archery
4	XXVI Olympiad	1996	Atlanta	2	Archery
5	XXVII Olympiad	2000	Sydney	2	Archery
6	XXVIII Olympiad	2004	Athens	2	Archery
7	XXIX Olympiad	2008	Beijing	2	Archery
8	XXX	2012	London	2	Archery and Shooting

 

How important are the Olympics for Bhutan and what dreams and aspirations do you have with the Bhutan Olympic Committee?

I remember when I first joined the BOC, in October 2010, an American journalist once asked what my dream was at the BOC. I told him that it would be to hear the Bhutanese national anthem at the Olympic games (the national anthem of the gold winning athlete is usually played at the prize awarding ceremony).

 

However, I have since then, begun to realize how naïve I was. The hope and dream now, is not so much as to win medals, which given our resources and facilities would be near impossible, but to provide an opportunity for all the youth in Bhutan to partake in sports, have fun and enjoy it. We now want to introduce our youth to sports, provide them with the opportunity and the platform to participate and then maybe excel, to instill in them the values from sports which will enable them to then lead productive in the service of the nation and for themselves too. 

 

The Olympics are but a means to an end. An Olympic medal at the end of the day has no meaning by itself. What is meaningful is the hours of training put in, the perseverance and the determination to achieve, the personal sacrifices, the discipline, the dedication and the entire organizational gamut that goes into winning that medal.   

 

What are your plans after the Olympics in London?

We at the BOC have formulated a Strategic Road Map (SRM) for the development of sports in Bhutan spanning 20 years, from 2013 to 2033. So it is now back to work for me and planning the implementation of the SRM. 

   

What have been the most interesting or rewarding aspects of your career thus far?

The numerous detours that my career has taken, from being a tax officer in the Tax Department to a program officer in the Ministry of Finance to working in the education sector and now in sports, all have molded me in many ways. However the sheer diversity has also greatly enriched my life and made it all the more colorful. 

 

What led you to GRIPS? What is the most important thing you got out of your studies here, and how has your experience at GRIPS prepared you for future endeavors?

Serendipity of course took me to GRIPS and it goes without saying that I would not have wished it any other way. What I learned at GRIPS and the wonderful experiences that I had at GRIPS and in Japan are responsible for who I am today and what I do. 

 

What is your fondest memory of your time spent in Japan? And what do you miss most about Japan?

My fondest memories of Japan are the GRIPS and class field trips we took, outside of Tokyo and life at Odaiba. I miss all of my friends there. 

 

How do you maintain a balance between your work and the rest of your life? And what is your favourite thing to do when you are not working?

Maintaining the work-life balance is one very challenging personal aspect. But then again I try my best not to ever take work home, and always try and stay in office and finish it off. Fortunately I also have family that step in, whenever I am caught up in office.  

 

When I am free, I like spending time with my two boys, playing basketball, some reading, listening to music and watching movies. 

 

What advice would you give to current GRIPS students?

While you must try and learn as much as you can, especially in the first two semesters, when in Japan, do not forget to take in a bit of Japan too. There is so much you can learn outside the classroom too. 

 

Do you have any suggestions on how to further utilize the GRIPS alumni network?

I think Karin and her team are doing a wonderful job and cannot think of any further suggestions.