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.
What do we blame this runaway train on? For starters, Rule 34 of
the SEAGF Charter clearly defines that the programme is be selected by the host.
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 pct 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…
With the rules in place to safeguard the Games from exploding, the
finger now shifts to the host nation for picking 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 will see
38 sports, the highest number was in 2011 when Indonesia hosted the 26th Games
with 44 sports!
The other issue is the accelerating cost for a host, where the
Games reflects economic clout, with grand opening and closings. Malaysia’s
budget to host both the upcoming SEA Games and Asean Para Games exceeds RM400
million.
The Philippines has just pulled out of the 2019 Games, after a
two-month running war with Islamic militants. It agreed in 2015 to host the
2019 SEA Games after Brunei and Vietnam declined.
On ways to cut costs, veteran sports administrator who is also an
honorary member of SEAGF, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, suggested reducing the number of
sports, stop engaging consultants and agents, early planning and using existing
facilities.
Datuk A. Vaithilingam, former Selangor Schools Sports Council
secretary general, said: “Hosts add too much fanfare to the Games.”
Another observer said: “It seems to me the primary objective of
any host in the SEA Games is to win the most gold medals. Hence the… little
known sports.”
TONY is a sports journalist with close to four decades’ experience and is passionate about local sports. He can be reached at tmariadass@gmail.com
BLOG VERSION
COMMENTARY
Level Field
Let’s
make the SEA Games lean and mean
Who should take
responsibility for the SEA Games having growing into a monster carnival instead
of a Games as a platform for the development for future stars in the region and
a Games of reputable standard?
Many will
point the finger to the South East Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) – the
governing body of Games which was founded in June 1959 with six founder
countries – Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaya, Thailand and Vietnam – which has
now grown to have eleven members – with the inclusion of Singapore, Indonesia,
Philippines, Brunei and Timor Leste.
However, the
SEAGF, in their Charter and Rules under Rule 34 (Programme), have clearly
defined the programme to be selected by the host of each Games.
While the
main grouse of sports observers and critics is that the Games has grown too big
and with some irrelevant sports being included, the programme’s first rule
states:
The sports programme adopted for any one SEA Games
shall consist of a minimum 22 sports, with events contained therein to be
determined based on the following criteria:
34.1 there shall be no artificial events, especially
for those adopted team events, unless the same are already practiced in the
Olympic or Asian Games.
34.2 a minimum of four NOCs must participate in a
sport/event for it to be included in the programme of the SEA Games, with a
proviso to allow varying the same as and when required.
34.3 with the exception of Athletics, Aquatics, and
Shooting, other sports in the SEA Games programme shall not have more than five
(5%) percent of the total number of events or medal tally.
34.4 Following the existing guidelines of Athletics
and Aquatics being Compulsory Sports, with a minimum of 14 sports from Category
II and a maximum of 8 sports from Category III, South East Asian Games
Federation Charter (As at 30 May 2010) 11 sports programme in the SEA Games
should give priority or preference to those sports that are already included in
the IOC and/or OCA sports programmes.
CATEGORY I: COMPULSORY SPORTS
Athletics 2. Swimming (including Diving and water
polo)
CATEGORY II: SPORTS IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE ASIAN
GAMES (MINIMUM 14 SPORTS)
1. Archery 2. Badminton 3. Baseball 4. Basketball 5.
Billiards & Snooker 6. Bowling (Tenpin) 7. Boxing 8. Canoeing 9. Cycling 10.
Equestrian & Polo 11. Fencing 12. Football 13. Golf 14. Gymnastics 15.
Handball 16. Hockey 17. Judo 18. Karate-do 19. Modern Pentathlon 20. Rowing 21.
Rugby 22. Sailing 23. Sepak Takraw 24. Softball 25. Soft Tennis 26. Shooting 27.
Squash 28. Table Tennis 29. Taekwondo 30. Tennis 31. Triathlon 32. Volleyball
33. Weightlifting 34. Wrestling 35. Wushu
CATEGORY III: OTHER SPORTS (MAXIMUM 8 SPORTS)
1. Arnis 2. Bodybuilding 3. Chess 4. Dance sport 5.
Fin swimming 6. Lawn Bowls 7. Kempo 8. Muay 9. Netball 10. Petanque 11. Pencak
Silat 12. Shuttlecock 13. Traditional Boat Race 14. Water skiing 15. Vovinam
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 the approval of the Executive
Committee
With the
rules in place to safeguard the Games from turning into a carnival and to keep
in line to keep the Games respectable, the Games have still become huge with
many irrelevant sports.
Basically,
it is the host nation who is to be blamed for increasing the number of sports,
especially sports which they can win medals and tailoring the programme,
especially increasing the number of events in their sports, to favour the host
nation.
What started
with 12 sports in the inaugural Games in Thailand in 1959 has grown to an average
of 30 sports or more in recent Games.
While in
Malaysia next month will see 38 sports contested, the highest number of sports
in a Games was when Indonesia hosted the 26th Games in 2011, where
44 sports were competed!
Maye the
SEAGF may want to consider reviewing their Category III in their programme of
other sports, from their current minimum of two to eight to a maybe just two or
maximum four, to keep the Games relevant to give priority to sports competed at
the Olympic and Asian Games.
The other
issue which is concerning about the Games is the accelerating cost of hosting
the Games.
What used to
be Games organised at minimum cost without all the fanfares, the Games has
become an avenue to showcase the nation’s ability to make the Games grand scale
with a lot of money spent on opening and closing ceremonies.
For instance
Malaysia’s budget to host both the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games exceeds RM400
million.
And
it is no surprise that we find countries withdrawing from hosting the Games
after initial acceptance according to the rotation basis of hosts, as economic
situations and other priorities issues of utilising available funds force them
rethink.
The Philippines has pulled out of hosting the 2019 Games
citing the government’s focus on rebuilding a city ravaged by a two-month
battle between security forces and Islamic militants.
The country’s sports officials formally abandoned
their plans to host the games after a series of meetings with President Rodrigo
Duterte, Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez said.
The Philippines agreed in 2015 to host the 2019 SEA
Games after two other countries, Brunei and Vietnam, declined.
There have several suggestions by sports observers and
veteran sports administrators to reduce costs of hosting the Games.
Veteran sports administrator who is also an honorary
member of the SEAGF, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi suggested reducing the number of
sports, stop engaging consultants and agents, early planning, using existing
sports facilities and finally decide on an affordable budget and work within
this budget with strict controls.
Datuk Vaithilingam Ampalavanar, former Selangor Schools Sports Council
secretary-general, said: “Hosts add a lot of fanfare to the Games which was not necessary
and can help cut overall cost.”
He asked if show case of entertainment just to satisfy the
Tourism and Cultural divisions was necessary.
“Do entertainment shows in the world organise sports for
their ceremonies,” he asked.
“Do International Conferences organise such extravagant
ceremonies?
Why only for International Sports? For athletes the Games
is their priority, not musicians and dancers,” he asserted.
He pleaded: “I am not exaggerating, please have only
sports and save sports! Not promote culture, entertainment and tourism.”
Maybe sports has evolved and sports these days entails
sports tourism, but still it can be done in moderation and not spend exorbitant
sums of money on entertainment.
Another observer said: “It seems to me the primary
objective of any host in the SEA Games is to win the most gold medals! Hence
the games are enlarged to accommodate little known sports so that the host is
strong.”
Datuk Dina Rizal, who has been associated with sports
for decades said:
“Change the mind-set to produce Sea champions not
national heroes.
“Forget this patronising attitude each time a host
nation organises SEA Games to include sports to please host nation and losing
the Olympic and Asian targets.”
Indeed it is time to make the Sea Games more relevant
to the development of sports in the region to
make headway at the Asian level for starters.
TONY is a sports
journalist with close to
four decades’ experience
and is passionate about
local sports.
He can be reached at
tmariadass@gmail.com
