25th SEA Games, Laos

SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman Somsavat Lengsavad said yesterday the games will raise Lao sport to a higher level because of the enthusiasm shown by local people in supporting Lao athletes.

“SEA Games fever has shown that people want to cheer for and support their athletes in popular sports so this leads me to believe Lao sport will improve,” he said.

Mr Somsavat said many foreigners had told him they couldn't believe that Lao people could be so interested in the games. “I don't want to congratulate my own country but many national leaders in this region have congratulated us on our good preparations and infrastructure which has contributed to the success of the games so far.”

He said many delegations had also congratulated him on the standard of the various sports venues including those used for shooting and table tennis, saying they were better than those in other countries in the region.

“They also said we should organise other international sports events in the future.”

Mr Somsavat said he was proud of the way local people welcomed various visitors during the games with warm smiles and hospitality. He also congratulated Lao athletes, saying the SEA Games was an important event in the history of Laos .

“Our athletes have done well, winning many gold, silver and bronze medals even though the games are still not over. Laos has never had such medal success. But this time we are the hosts so our athletes trained hard for this victory.”

Mr Somsavat talked about the Lao footballers, saying they had played very well to be in the semi-finals. In the past, Laos had never reached the semi-finals.

“Today, I can say our footballers have greatly improved because of their dedicated training. They are trying to do their best, especially as we are the hosts of this event.”

He urged people to continue to show their support for Lao athletes until the end of the games, saying cheering was the best source of energy and inspiration as they pursued their medal quest.

“All Lao people should show their support right up until the end of the games. And we should continue to give visitors a warm and polite welcome, as well as taking care of the environment so the country looks its best for all delegations, guests and tourists visiting Laos,” he said.





By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Vientianetimes

The Lao SEA Games Organising Committee hosted a Chief de Mission (CDM) meeting in Vientiane on Saturday to hear reports on preparations for the games.

Participants at the half-day meeting received reports from the host nation on such issues as games emblems and mascots, ports of entry, hospitality services, sports complexes, and medical care.

CDM delegates from Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , the Philippines , Malaysia , Myanmar , Singapore , Thailand , Vietnam and Timor Leste raised questions and issues at the meeting.

Attendees asked the committee for information about services and accommodation for athletes and coaches at the SEA Games Village , as well as for foreign delegations attending the event.

Chairman of the SEA Games Technical Competition Committee, Mr Somphou Phongsa, said at a press conference after the meeting that the meeting aimed to report on the progress of preparations for the games, after some participating nations raised concerns about the SEA Games Village .

“There were many questions and issues raised, including inquiries about services, medical care, and ticketing, but the majority of queries were about the accommodation for athletes and delegations,” he said.

Mr Somphou said the committees had outlined the services and accommodation that would be provided and the CDM delegations were satisfied with the results.

“Some attendees requested a CDM centre be set up during the games, so we will establish an accreditation centre at the National University of Laos near the SEA Games Village . Another common concern was ticketing arrangements for fan clubs and dignitaries.”

The CDM delegations were asked to submit lists of athletes and delegations from their respective nations that will attend the games by October 26 so arrangements could be made.

The delegates also visited sports venues and the SEA Games Village to view progress and standards.

Mr Somphou pledged the relevant committees would address all suggestions and requests raised at the meeting and ensure excellent hospitality is provided to athletes and delegations during the games.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

(KPL) Four badminton players from the Lao national badminton team left Vientiane on 5 October to attend the YONEX-SUNRISE Vietnam Open Grand Prix 2009 which is scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City from 6 to 11 October.

A farewell ceremony for the Lao team was held on 5 October at the Wattay International Airport. The team comprising four badminton players and two coaches, are Mr. Somsaveng Sengsilavong, representative of the National Badminton Association (head), Mr. Yothin Latsavong, Mr. Sathien Mouanvongsa, Mr. Phakonekham Fongmalaiseng and Mr. Vanpaseut Philavanh. They will take part in men single and double badminton competition.

Mr. Somsaveng Sengsilavong disclosed that the Lao team was well prepared physically and technically. Thus we can say that we are sure to pass to the semi final in man double badminton competition, said Mr. Somsaveng. The Open Grand Prix is organised every year and this year?s competition will be divided into five categories: men and women single, men and women double, and mixed double badminton competitions. 16 teams are invited to this year?s competition, including two teams from Laos.

In 2008 the competition was held in Hanoi, the Lao team won the 3rd prize for men double team.

The 25th SEA Games committee responsible for the game's opening and closing ceremonies said on Thursday that 32 songs has been selected to commemorate the games in Laos later this year.





Source: vientianetimes

Photo: Miss Vanphakone Insouvong ( right ) and Miss SEA Games representatives pose at the committee's office.

The Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) will select 11 Miss SEA Games representatives at the committee's office on Saturday to carry placards bearing the names of the 11 countries participating in the 25th SEA Games.

The 11 ladies will parade the placards around the main stadium during the games in Vientiane in December.

They will be selected from a group of 100 selected by the Ministry of Information and Culture (MIC) last year.

The group is currently improving their general knowledge, awareness of Lao culture and dancing skills, and will dance to songs specially chosen for the games. They are also touring important sites around the capital.

Most of the group are students at the National University of Laos or other institutions in the capital.

At the committee's office on Saturday, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Buangeun Xaphouvong presented the group of 100 to LNSC Vice President Bualane Silypanya.

The LNSC will teach the ladies about the technical aspects of each sport to be contested at the games.

Mr Buangeun said the group had shown good patience with their training, were confident about performing in public and had a good knowledge of social and economic topics.

They were also culturally aware and knew how to behave with diplomatic guests after receiving training relating to appropriate attire, speech and presentation.

He said the group would be able to use their knowledge to ensure the games were a success and to gain future employment.

Mr Bualane said the ladies would work with more than 3,000 volunteers and liaison staff to ensure the games run smoothly.

The 3,000 volunteers and liaison staff are students and officials from the National University of Laos, colleges, schools and ministries in the capital.

Mr Bualane said the Miss SEA Games representatives would be involved in welcoming important guests and presenting medals to athletes.

One Miss SEA Games representative, Miss Vanphakone Insouvong, is confident of her ability to carry out her duties after receiving training from the MIC.

She was very proud to represent the Lao people at this historic event, which would be a good opportunity for Laos to show it could host future international sporting events.

She said she was ready to be involved in the games and hoped to be one of the 11 selected to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies.

Miss Vanphakone lives in Donekoy village in Sisattanak district. She is currently in her fifth year of a degree in dentistry at the University of Health Sciences .

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Laos will host 26 sports in SEA Games



KUALA LUMPUR: The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) have clarified that Laos will host 26 sports and not 25 in the SEA Games from Dec 9-18.

The OCM secretary general, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, said that recent reports were wrong and gave a picture that some sports had been dropped arbitrarily by the hosts.

“Some even claim that archery, cycling and weightlifting were omitted from the programme of the 25th Games in Vientiane,” he said.

“At the last SEA Games Federation Council meeting on Nov 13, the final list of sports and events approved and announced were 25 sports and 390 events. This is wrong as the Games organising committee had wrongly included soft tennis as part of tennis. Soft tennis has to be considered a different sport from tennis because it comes under the jurisdiction of a different international federation. Hence the total number of sports in the Games is 26 and 390 events.”

Kok Chi added that for archery, there will be eight events — four more than in the Olympic Games with the inclusion of the compound bows competitions for men’s and women’s team and individual.

“There will be no track cycling events as Laos do not have a velodrome but road cycling and mountain bike racing have been included with a total of eight gold medals at stake,” he said.

“The hosts have not taken advantage of selecting sports in which they are strong in because irrespective of what sports they choose, Laos will not be among the top five in the final medal standings.

“The sports dropped are based on non-availability of international standard competition venues, lack of equipment, the non-existence of their national sports associations for a large number of sports, insufficient internationally qualified judges and technical officials and insufficient human and financial resources.”

Basketball and waterpolo may still be included as there are discussions on the Philippines and Singapore to fund them at the Games.

The sports in the Games programme are athletics, archery, swimming, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karate, sepak takraw, shooting, soft tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, wushu, muay thai, petanque, silat, shuttlecock and fin swimming.

SOurce: thestar

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

Photo: Lao’s Thongmala Viengphane, left, carries the ball against Cambodia during their bronze medal match Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007, at the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Lao defeated Cambodia 15-0 for the bronze medal

(KPL) The rules for the 25th South East Asian Games will be written by representatives of Laos, Malaysia and Singapore, following a meeting of the SEA Games Sports and Rules Committee in Vientiane this week.

The officials will formulate the rules for the competition organising and programmes, which will be presented to SEA Games meeting in November, along with the list of sports to be competed at the event.

Lao SEA Games Sports and Rule Committee Chairman Mr Souvannarath Saignavong said the national sports committee wishes to hold more than 25 sporting events to meet the requests of all countries, but we believe this is impossible to do that.

“Many countries are interested in assisting Laos to host the 25th SEA Games, and believe Laos would be able to host the event successfully,” said Mr. Souvannarath.

Last April’s first SEA Games meeting approved 25 sports for the Vientiane Games.

These include swimming and diving, wrestling, track and field, badminton, rugby, boxing, football, futsal, golf, judo, karatedo, petanque, sepak takraw, billiard and snooker, shooting, muay, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, boat racing, wushu, pencak silat, shuttlecock, volleyball and beach volleyball.

Photo: Miss Champa, one of the mascot for 25th Sea Games in Laos

The 25 sports that will be competed in the 25th Southeast Asian Games 2009 in Laos include:

1. Aquatics
2. Archery
3. Athletics
4. Badminton
5. Bowling
6. Boxing
7. Football/futsal
8. Golf
9. Handball
10. Judo
11. Karate-do
12. Muay
13. Petanque
14. Pencak silat
15. sepak takraw
16. Shooting
17. Shuttle cock
18. Snooker and billiards
19. Table tennis
20. Taekwondo
21. Tennis
22. Traditional boat race
23. Volleyball/beach volleyball
24. Wrestling
25. Wushu.

The 25th SEA Games is tentatively to be fallen on December 13 to 21, 2009 in Vientiane, Luang prabang and Savannakhet.