SEAG host to maximize edge
POC president Ricky Vargas has set a lofty goal of at least a third place finish when the Philippines hosts the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Nov. 30-Dec. 10 next year but isn’t closing the door on pushing for first place with the hometown advantage a factor in deciding 11 of the last 21 overall championships.
At the last SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, the Philippines finished sixth in the standings behind Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia in that order. But the standings could dramatically change when the Philippines stages the competition next year as the SEA Games Federation allows host countries the opportunity to select the sports for each edition with the concurrence of the other 10 nations in the conclave.
SEA Games Federation Sports and Rules Committee chairman Tom Carrasco submitted a list of 30 sports for consideration to the Executive Committee in a meeting at the ShangriLa Hotel BGC last Wednesday. The next day, the Executive Committee sought the approval of the list from the SEA Games Federation Council in another meeting at the same hotel. The original list of 30 was approved with the exception of badminton which was included to replace ice hockey.
Vargas said the list of 30 may be expanded to over 40, depending on the deliberations after the different countries make their suggestions before June 13. The final list of sports will be decided in the next SEA Games Federation Council meeting in November.
At the moment, the list of 30 is broken down into the Category 1 sports of aquatics and athletics, 27 from Category 2 and arnis from Category 3. Aquatics and athletics are the compulsory sports in Category 1. Under Category 2, there are 44 sports to choose from and at least 16 must be in any SEA Games. Under Category 3, the Federation recognizes 22 sports and up to only 12 will be allowed in any SEA Games.
Arnis has been played only when the Philippines hosted the SEA Games in 1991 and 2005. Among the other sports in Category 3 are bodybuilding, bridge, E-sports, darts, finswimming, floorball, lawn bowls, netball, obstacle course, polo, surfing and vovinam. Category 2 sports that were not in the initial list of 30 include soft tennis, table tennis, tennis, rowing, chess, rugby 7s, traditional boat race and rowing.
Since the Philippines joined the SEA Games in 1977, 11 of 21 host countries have won overall championships. The Philippines has hosted thrice, finishing third in 1981, second in 1991 and first in 2005. Countries that hosted and won top honors were Indonesia in 1979, Thailand in 1985, Indonesia in 1987, Thailand in 1995, Indonesia in 1997, Malaysia in 2001, Vietnam in 2003, the Philippines in 2005, Thailand in 2007, Indonesia in 2011 and Malaysia in 2007. The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam won overall championships only when they hosted. Two countries that have never won the overall championship came close when they hosted. Myanmar placed second as the 2013 host and Singapore also finished second as the 2015 host.