Has the Sea Games, which was inaugurated in 1959 as
the Seap Games, outlived its importance and just become a carnival over the
recent years?
There are conflicting views on the question, but
looking at the Games objectively, one must agree that the Games has become a
showcase for hosting nations and wanting to win the most number of medals at
all cost.
The games have no official limits to
the number of sports to be contested, and thus range can be decided by the
organizing host, pending approval by the Southeast Asian Games Federation
(SEAGF). Besides the core sports that must be featured, the host is also free
to drop or introduce other events.
This leeway has resulted in hosts maximising their
medal hauls by dropping sports disadvantages to themselves and the introduction
of obscure sports including mainly traditional sports by the host.
Of course, there are views that Games is still very
much relevant, where host countries benefit with new sporting facilities and a
boost for their economy among other things.
The Games also help Southeast Asian countries, athletes and officials in
many ways. For example, the managerial skills gained from hosting the Games
prove invaluable to local sports officials when preparing for bigger
international events while home athletes gain a platform to shine and achieve
higher targets.
For countries like Myanmar who hosted the Games again after 44 years in
2013, shone in the international arena just two years after the end of military
rule and the lifting of Western sanctions and the Games was a platform for them
to exhibit themselves to the world again.
It was no different when Brunei, Vietnam and Laos hosted the Games for the
first time in 1999, 2003 and 2009 respectively, when they were faced with many
uphill tasks, but managed to pull through in the end and was tremendous boost
for their respective country.
Having covered 12 consecutive Games from 1983 in Singapore to 2005 in
Manila, and another in Singapore in 2015, besides two others in Thailand in
2007 and at the last Games in KL a different capacity in the media field, I
have seen the best and worst of Games.
But overall it was a great experience soaking in the electrifying
atmosphere of the Games, something money cannot buy. These are memories I will
treasure for life.
But again the Sea Games, has also lost its importance because many
nations have already established themselves as leaders in sports and their
athletes have attained high standards in the international field.
Having said that the Games is still used to groom young athletes.
However, it has become a Catch 22 situation.
While in one hand, the Games still has its relevance, on the other, it
has become a carnival and standards have been dropping that the Games is
considered of the lowest standard event in the region.
Some events even fail to have the full quota of participants and
competed by four countries, events scratched because it does not have enough
participants, while many countries send their second rated athletes.
Some countries like Malaysia, even allow athletes who do not meet
qualifying standards to enter as ‘B’ category athletes and pay their own way
and only get their money refunded if they win medals.
Maybe it is time that the Sea Games be just for under-23 athletes so
that it becomes a development Games.
Football in the Games is already confined to the under-23, as the sport
has grown tremendously. But then again whether the same can be said of all
sports, especially athletics, is left to be debated.
Besides, there are enough events to expose young talent, from the Asean
Schools Games, Commonwealth Youth Games, Asian Youth Games and Youth Olympics
to the youth and school championships for the respective sports.
In any case, it is up to the nations or national associations of sports
whether they want to send seasoned athletes or development athletes to the
Games, depending on the status of the sports concerned
But why has the SEA Games grown into a monster carnival? Veering from
being a hunting platform for the development of future sport stars in the
region.
Many will point the finger to the South
East Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) — the governing body which was founded in
June 1959 with six founder countries — Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaya,
Thailand and Vietnam — which has now grown to 11 — with the inclusion of
Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei and Timor Leste.
But rules like Rule 34 of the SEAGF
Charter which clearly defines that the programme is be selected by the host,
gives room for the Games to be diluted.
While the main grouse is a flotilla of
irrelevant sports, the first rule states: a minimum of 22 sports, with events contained
therein to be determined based on the following criteria:
— 34.1: there shall be no artificial
events… unless the same are already practised in the Olympic or Asian Games; —
34.2: a minimum of four NOCs must participate in a sport/event for it to be
included …;
— 34.3: with the exception of
Athletics, Aquatics, and Shooting, other sports shall not have more than 5 percentage
of the total number of events or medal tally;
— 34.4: Following the existing
guidelines of Athletics and Aquatics (swimming, diving, water polo) being
Compulsory Sports, with a minimum of 14 sports from Category II (35 events
listed; sports in Olympics and Asian Games) and a maximum of 8 sports from
Category III (15 events listed), South East Asian Games Federation Charter (as at
30 May 2010) 11 sports programme in the SEA Games should give priority or
preference to sports already included in the IOC and / or OCA sports
programmes.
— 34.6 Each adopted sport must belong
to an existing International Sport Federation (IF) and / or an Asian Sport
Federation (ASF); 34.7 The Organising Committee may hold as a “Demonstration
Sports”, one (1) sport, subject to approval…
But despite the rules in place to
safeguard the Games from exploding, the host nation still manages to pick
winnable sports to favour itself.
What started with 12 sports in the
inaugural Games in Thailand in 1959 has grown to an average of 30 sports or more.
While the KL Games in 2017 saw 38 sports, the highest number was in 2011 when
Indonesia hosted the 26th Games with 44 sports, but now has been overtaken by
Philippines with 56 sports!
The other issue is the accelerating
cost for a host, where the Games reflects economic clout, with grand opening
and closings.
Too much emphasis and money is spent on
opening and closing ceremonies, where they money would be put to better use if
used for the development of sports of the host nations.
The Games has also now become a money spinning
arena for many.
Generally, if the SEAGF does not put
their foot down to get the Games back to its tracks, it is just going to
continue to explode with each passing Games.
But with the SEAGF comprising of member
nations officials and practicing a very family like atmosphere in their
meetings, where the common practice is to “you scratch my back and I scratch
yours”, the Games is just going to continue to grow into a bigger monster and a
big circus in the end.
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