POC wants more Olympic sports retained in SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Olympic Committee will strongly urge the Southeast Asian Games Federation Council to retain the Olympic sports in the roster of events regardless of which country will host the biennial competition.

POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. said on Thursday that removing the Olympic events would defeat the purpose of the SEAG as training ground for the Olympic Games.

“The SEAG is an opportunity for athletes in the region to elevate their skills for the Olympics,” said Cojuangco, who will present the country’s position during the special SEAG Federation Council meeting in July set in Bangkok.

“We have to solve this problem right away. If we continue the practice of giving out favors and lobbying for the inclusion of certain sports, the member countries of the SEAG Federation could end up fighting,” he added.

It has been a common practice for the host country to choose additional disciplines, most of them indigenous sports, to be played in the games.

In the 26th SEAG to be held in Indonesia this year, organizers have lined up 44 disciplines, with a total of 544 gold medals at stake, the biggest in the Games’ history.

But the Olympic sports of rowing, hockey, triathlon, handball and modern pentathlon were scrapped in favor of rollerskating, paragliding and vovinam, an indigenous sport.

Cojuangco said he would propose that the council  divide the calendar of events into two categories—Olympic sports and non-Olympic events.

Meanwhile, the POC said it was ready to present to the House the proposed amendment to Republic Act 6847 or the law that created the Philippine Sports Commission.

Cojuangco said that among the proposed modifications were on the term of office of the PSC board and the tax privileges on the importation of sports equipment.

He said that the PSC chairman and his commissioners should be co-terminus with the President and that at least two of the four commissioners should be recommended by the POC.

Cojuangco said he would attend the March 15 hearing of the House committee on youth and sports on the cycling leadership issue but added he was not sure if the proposed amendments could be tackled there.