Sea Games: Tì?nh hư?fu nghì? và? rà?p xiĂ?́c?

Sea Games: Tì?nh hưfu nghì và? ràp xiẮc?

Hì? hì?, tĂn cù?a chù? 'Ă? nà?y khĂng phà?i do mì?nh tào ra, mà? chì? trìch dĂfn lài bà?i bào dưới 'Ăy.

Source: http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/Sunday/Sport/20031214122104



Sport: Game all: Circus because of solidarity
Johnson Fernandez

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There has been so much talk about the SEA Games becoming a circus with the inclusion of some ludicruous events. Everyone has something to say about it, including the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

The fact remains though they had done nothing to check it. A couple of weeks ago, OCM president, Tunku Imran Jaafar, said there was an urgent need to ensure "genuine" sports got into the Games.

They are all part of the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) set-up, and when Vietnam proposed to include events like shuttle**** juggling and fin swimming, it would have been the ideal forum to reject it.

But neighbourliness had got the better of common sense, and everyone just allowed these "sports" to sneak in. So, where does it really stop? There is also the matter of subjective sports. You will never be able to check the biased judging. Decisions will always favour the host nation, and Malaysia had also benefitted from them. The 111 gold medals two years ago in Kuala Lumpur was aided and abetted by "friendly" judges and referees.

Why the Malaysians complained is beyond me. The Philippines will have major haul of the gold medals from the subjective events when it is their turn to host the Games in 2005.

It just goes on.

OCM secretary, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, told the officials in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to just get on with the Games instead of whining and moaning. Which is true because the practical thing to do would be to get rid of the subjective events once and for all so that the Games will be truly clean and fair.

But that is unlikely to happen. There is simply too much at stake.

Honestly, I don''t understand why it is difficult or impossible to regulate what sports should be included in the SEA Games.

All they need to do is refer to the Olympics and even the Asian Games. The SEAGF should be guided by the sports in these mega events.

Once that is made clear and everyone in the SEAGF understand the rules, there will be no need to back-scratch just to keep the harmony in the organisation.

But I have severe reservations about whether this will be achieved at all. This is not the first time that the Press had highlighted the ridiculous proportions of the SEA Games.

Almost once every two years, this matter is discussed and promises are made to streamline the Games. It has never happened and I don''t see the SEAGF wanting to upset the Filipinos.

That would not be keeping with the spirit of Asean solidarity.