SEA Games 2023: New regulations may help Cambodia confuse and conquer

PHNOM PENH – It is not uncommon for SEA Games hosts to introduce native sports to the programme to showcase them to the world, while reducing the number of events they are weak in to boost their medal tally.

However, in addition to debuts for local chess game ouk chaktrang and martial arts kun khmer and kun bokator at the Cambodia Games, some other events have also been tweaked, leaving participants and observers scratching their heads.

In badminton, the men’s and women’s team events – which start on Monday – will feature only stronger nations like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The organisers have introduced a new mixed-team event for only the weaker sides – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Brunei and Timor-Leste.

A similar situation is also happening in traditional boat racing, in which the women’s three-crew event is exclusively for weaker nations, although the final list has not been released.

A Singapore official, who declined to be named, said: “I feel it devalues the medals because the champions will not be the best team that could have played.

“The records will show a badminton and traditional boat racing minnow winning a gold medal this year, but when people look at the start list, they will notice the absence of the stronger nations.

“They don’t do such things in other major Games such as the Asian, Commonwealth or Olympic Games so it shouldn’t happen at the SEA Games too.

“If it is for development and awareness purposes, this should be done in separate championships.”

Thana Chaiprasit, head of the Thai delegation, told the Bangkok Post that, with the hosts being able to add or remove events, the changes “could give Cambodia an overall advantage”.

Singapore Badminton Association technical director Martin Andrew and Singapore Dragon Boat Association general manager Raizal Abdol Jalil were more diplomatic.

Andrew felt the badminton tweaks allow nations who are less developed in the sport a chance to take part in a team event, as they otherwise would not have enough players for the men’s or women’s team event.

Raizal added: “We will be racing in Cambodia’s traditional boat design, which is different from the standard dragon boat design, so the uncertainties are great.

“But as a seasoned SEA Games campaigner, I can understand why the organising committee has introduced the changes. It is one way to promote their own tradition and pick up some medals along the way.”

Other adjustments Cambodia have made are in gymnastics and table tennis, where athletes are no longer allowed to participate in all the events.

While a table tennis player could take part in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles previously, in Cambodia they can participate in a maximum of only two of these three categories, besides the team event.

Gymnasts, meanwhile, are limited to just two individual apparatuses, in addition to the team and individual all-around.

At the Hanoi Games in 2022, Filipino star gymnast Carlos Yulo bagged five golds and two silvers as he dominated the all-around, floor, rings, vault and parallel bars. He was second in the horizontal bar and men’s team event.

But in Cambodia, Yulo, who was world champion in the floor exercise in 2019 and vault in 2021, is competing in only the men’s team, individual all-around, parallel bars and horizontal bar events.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion also tried to remain upbeat, saying: “Four is better than two. But not as many as seven.

“We’re training hard so that, even without Carlos, we can win the medals.”

Singapore table tennis men’s team coach Gao Ning also downplayed the impact of the restrictions, and noted they could work out to the Republic’s advantage as his players are evenly matched.

He said: “The rules apply for every country. We just have to prepare well within the rules and try to find a good balance among all the individual events.”

Not all the changes, however, are quirky. Singapore swimming coach Gary Tan shared how a few countries had put up a successful recommendation to include the mixed 4x100m medley relay – an Olympic event – in the SEA Games programme for the first time.

Meanwhile, it is understood that the SEA Games Federation is looking at limiting the programme to a maximum of three non-Olympic sports from the 2025 Games in Thailand.