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 With the hosts always given heavy clout over which sports are
contested, rows frequently blow up between the 11 competing nations
but Malaysia's decision to omit a number of established Olympic
events has upset the Asian Athletics Association.
"They want to leave out eight events and that is not allowed," AAA
honorary secretary Maurice Nicholas was quoted as saying by
Singaporean media.
"When you undertake to organize a SEA Games, you must do all the
events. If they insist on leaving them out, we will not give them
the permit. They gave the reason that they can't win medals, but
others train hard, how can you deny them?"
Organizers of the 29th Games met on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur and
ratified the initial list of 34 sports and 342 events, including ice
hockey and ice skating for the first time.
Futsal, a form of five-a-side football, was also included, but the
heptahlon and 3,000 meters were among other athletics events to be
scrapped along with Olympic staples fencing, judo and canoeing.
SEA Games Federation president Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar said no
complaints had been made about the list, despite a report in the
Malay Mail on Wednesday saying that Thailand, Indonesia,
Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar and Laos would not send athletics
teams because of the row.
"The motion brought by Malaysia as the host of the Games next year
did not get any objection from all 11 member countries," he was
quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.
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"This is only the provisional list for the Games. We will open a
formal request until mid-March and follow the SEA Games sports
charter."
The definitive list for the Aug. 19-31 Games next year will be made
in July.
Sports list:
Athletics, aquatics, archery, badminton, basketball, boxing,
cricket, cycling, equestrian, football and futsal, golf, gymnastics,
hockey, ice hockey, ice-skating, karate, lawn bowls, netball, pencak
silat, petanque, rugby sevens, sailing, sepak takraw, shooting,
snooker and billiard, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis,
tenpin bowling, indoor volleyball, water ski, weightlifting and
wushu
(Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; Editing by John O'Brien)
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