A final decision on the sports to be contested at the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane next year will be made today, 2009 SEA Games Executive Committee Meeting Chairman, Mr Somphou Phongsa, said yesterday.
The committee is meeting in Vientiane from November 11 to 13 with various councils, federations and officials in Vientiane , to discuss issues relating to the games.
The meeting will discuss and finalise TV broadcasting rights for the games, and decide on the sports to be included.
According to a press release, the SEA Games Federation's Sports and Rules Committee confirmed Lao officials had proposed the games comprise 398 events in the 25 sports of athletics, aquatic sports (including swimming, diving and water polo), archery, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and squash, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, muay, fin swimming, petanque, shuttlecock and pencak silat.
Mr Somphou said the committee decided to omit some proposed events including the 4x200m running relay, and the 50m breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke swimming events__, as these events are not included in Olympic competition.
“These events were cancelled as many member countries of the SEA Games Federation did not wish them to be included,” he said.
The committee decided on an ‘entry by quota' policy which limits the number of events in which some countries can enter athletes. For example, a country that has many experienced athletes in the sport of boxing will only be permitted to enter athletes in a certain number of events in that sport. This will ensure the games are fair and balanced for all participating countries.
“Under the rules governing the SEA Games, the committee must announce the official number of sports and events 12 months before the start of the games. The committee will inform participating countries by letter next month,” said Mr Somphou.
Mr Somphou said some countries wanted to add more sports to the schedule. Myanmar had requested canoeing be included and the Philippines wanted basketball to be added. The committee will continue discussions regarding these requests before finalising the schedule today.
Television broadcasting rights for the games are usually decided by the SEA Games Federation, but on this occasion the Laos 2009 SEA Games Organising Committee will decide who receives the rights.
Details relating to the allocation of revenues generated by the TV rights will be discussed at the meeting today.
The meeting is being attended by representatives of several Southeast Asian sporting bodies, with Timor Leste the only SEA Games member not present.
Vientianetimes
