Qualitative inquiry of the Singapore environment and motivation of elite athletes: a self-determination perspective

With the paucity of research on the motivational processes in elite sport, this qualitative study was undertaken to explore the relationship between specific environmental factors and the motivation of elite Singaporean athletes. Consistent with the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study acted as a medium for five current and five former national athletes to provide their personal accounts of elite sport in Singapore based on their lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed according to the procedures of IPA to provide an in-depth account of participants’ experiential concerns. Five super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: attraction to sport, support environment, personal sacrifices, organizational obstacles and recommendations for better well-being. These themes provide a subjective account of how participants were involved in sport for their personal satisfaction and, with a strong support environment, were willing to make sacrifices for sport but were impeded by the very organizations in place to support them. For athletes to progress in elite sport, it is recommended that organizations shift their focus on outcomes to the process and development of athletes.