25th SEA Games, Laos

The Lao Medical Anti-Doping Commission has drafted a manual for drug testing procedures to be used at the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane this year.

Chairman of the commission, Dr Alongkone Phengsavanh said so far the commission is still waiting for funds to publish more than 1,000 manuals to be distributed to countries participating in the games. These include the list of substances that are banned at the competition.

“We also need funds to train about 80 doctors and nurses who will take part in training courses to learn about doping. So far, medical staff have not undertaken any courses,” said Dr Alongkone, who is also a member of the National Olympic Committee of Laos.

He said the work was very important to ensure a fair competition.

All tests will be sent to be analysed in China at a cost of about 3.6 million kip (300 euro) apiece. This money will come from the government budget.

The commission will focus on testing in some sports before the games including muay, boxing and other similar sports.

All tests will be conducted under the SEA Games Federation's guidelines.

The commission will also test all athletes who win gold medals at the games. This is a rule of the federation. The commission will also randomly choose athletes for testing.

If the athlete tests positive, they will have to return any medals they have won and will be disqualified from competition for two years.

Dr Alongkone and his colleagues have already delivered this message, including the list of banned substances to Lao athletes.

Two doctors from Laos , one from Thailand and one from Vietnam will supervise the testing procedures to ensure fairness.

However, Dr Alongkone said the biggest challenge for the anti-doping teams were their lack of previous experience. This will be the first time they will have operated in competition. For this reason, Dr Alongkone said they need to take training on drug testing as soon as possible.


Vientianetimes

The Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) says improvements to the Chao Anouvong football stadium in Vientiane are 85 percent complete in the lead-up to the 25th SEA Games.

The committee is currently planting new grass in and around the stadium and believes the upgrade will be complete by September.

Manager of the Construction Projects for the 25th SEA Games, Mr Khiengkham Phouthchanhthavong, said the government is spending 25 billion kip on improving the football stadium. The upgrade began in May 2008.

The improvements include the installation of a high-standard electrical system, scoreboard, running tracks and public facilities. The stadium will be used for the first round of men's and women's football matches.

Last February, a delegation from the Asia Football Confederation inspected the stadium to ensure it meets international standards.

The existing stadium has 7,000 seats, which is believed to be sufficient to accommodate spectators at the first round of the football tournament.

The national football team is currently training at the national sports training centre in Huayhong village, Chanthabouly district. The Savankham Construction Company is undertaking the improvements to the football stadium.

The former national football stadium has hosted the Prime Minister's Cup, the National Games and Lao League Division 1 football matches.

The LNSC is also improving other football stadiums at the National University of Laos, Banking Institute and Lao National Television, which will be used as football venues during the games.

The National Football Stadium in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district, will be used for later round football matches and track and field events.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

Officials from the Lao SEA Games Organising Committee and Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sport met on Wednesday in Vientiane to discuss preparations for the 2009 SEA Games. –Photo Sisay

The Lao SEA Games Organising Committee (LAOSOC) met with delegates from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports in Vientiane on Wednesday to discuss progress on preparations for the 25th SEA Games.

The meeting was chaired by Lao National Sports Committee Vice President, Mr Somphou Phongsa, and the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports' Permanent Secretary Dr Sasithara Pichaichannarong.

The two sides discussed preparations for the games including the compilation of competition technical teams, construction of training and competition facilities, traffic and transport arrangements, volunteer organisers, television broadcasting and accommodation for athletes and officials.

Thai officials reported on the progress of an indoor stadium upgrade which the Thai government is providing 43 billion kip (179 million baht) funding for. The stadium in Beungkhayong village, Sisattanak district of Vientiane will host the shuttlecock and muay events during the games.

The facility is on track for completion in October next year, the meeting was told.

Mr Somphou, on behalf of LAOSOC, thanked the Thai government for its support in upgrading the Beungkhayong indoor stadium and other preparations for the event, which will be held in December 2009.

“In preparing for the games we have also received generous support from other neighbouring countries including Vietnam and China ,” he said.

Last month a meeting of the SEA Games Federation decreed the event would consist of 390 events across the 25 sports of athletics, aquatic sports (swimming, diving and water polo), archery, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and soft tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, muay, fin swimming, petanque, shuttlecock and pencak silat.

Competition venues are the national sports complex at Km 16 in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district; Don Chan Palace; Booyoung and Olympasia indoor stadiums at the National University of Laos; Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre; Chao-anouvong stadium in Anou village, Chanthabouly district; the Army stadium at Km 5 and the Vientiane Sports Department in Beungkhayong village, Sisattanak district.



By Sisay Vilaysack

BANGKOK - THAILAND will give Laos 98 million baht (S$3.9 million) to help it organise the region's biggest sports event next year, a Thai government spokesman said.

The Southeast Asian Games are scheduled to take place in Laos at the end of next year but the impoverished nation desperately needs funds to improve its infrastructure.

'The money will be given to help Laos organise the 25th SEA Games, to improve stadiums and train staff,' spokesman Weerinthira Nathongborcharas said in a statement.

Laos, which has no experience in organising international sporting events, will host the bi-annual 25-sport games from December 3-12, 2009.

Ms Weerinthira said Thailand will send referees to train Laotian personnel in 12 sporting events and offer further training courses in Bangkok in four other events.

Thailand will also loan Laos sports equipment from the previous SEA Games, which took place in Thailand last December.

Thailand joins China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Olympic Council of Asia in supporting the Laos event, which will take place mostly at the national stadium in the capital Vientaine. -- AFP

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Sports/STIStory_253568.html