VIETNAM has been given two more weeks to decide whether it will push through with the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi on Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.
A Philippine Olympic Committee insider said this was the decision reached during another emergency meeting of the SEA Games Federation Council yesterday.
“All I know is that it was agreed during the meeting that Vietnam be given another two weeks to decide whether it will delay or push through with the SEA Games in November. I have no further details about the issue,” the source said.
Vietnam had earlier notified the other members of the 11-nation bloc early this month that it wanted to postpone the biennial meet to July next year due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the Vietnamese capital and in neighboring areas that will serve as venues for the Games.
Philippine Olympic Committee President and Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino had opposed the proposal together with seven other representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste in an online session last June 8.
Myanmar, which is embroiled in civil strife, agreed to the postponement while Laos abstained during that meeting.
The reason cited by the majority of the countries was the crowded sports calendar next year that include the Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games, Asian Games, Winter Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, among others.
A total of 40 sports disciplines are set to be held in Hanoi.
In opposing the postponement, Tolentino noted that majority of athletes all over Southeast Asia had been priming up for the competition, while the Philippine Sports Commission had earmarked P200 million for the country’s training and participation in the event.
Reports coming from Vietnam said its government had ordered its sports ministry to come up with a master plan or “playbook” similar to what the International Olympic Committee did with the Tokyo Olympics that will address the challenges that would arise should the SEA Games go on as set.
