Indonesia SOC allays worries over SEA Games venues, billeting
MANILA, Philippines—There’s no cause for alarm as far as far as the country’s Southeast Asian Games participation in Indonesia next month.
Contrary to reports of unfinished venues and billeting woes in the Games’ hub Palembang, Philippine deputy chief de mission Romeo Magat Sunday said those problems have been addressed by the Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc).
“There’s no need to panic. Everything is in order,” said Magat, who went to host cities Jakarta and Palembang to inspect the venues and get a clear picture of Inasoc’s preparation for the Nov. 11 TO 22 meet.
“They assured us that all competition sites will be 100 percent ready before the games. In fact, I even saw the venues in question and I think they’re in good shape,” added the secretary general of the Philippine Tennis Association.
The Philippine Olympic Committee had earlier expressed concern upon receiving information that the construction of the aquatics center in Palembang has been painfully slow along with the renovation of venues for athletics, shooting, beach volleyball and baseball, among others.
Regarding the accommodation, Magat said Inasoc will put up two floating hotels with 750 rooms each on the river near the Jakabaring Sports City in Palembang to house athletes and officials who could be displaced from the athletes’ village.
“It’s an extremely expensive substitute for hotel shortage,” said Magat.
The athletes’ village could only make room for 2,200 athletes, a third of the projected total number of athletes from 11 countries and 42 sports expected to flock for the biennial games.
Team Philippines alone has 534 athletes, 110 of them privately funded, accompanied by 161 officials composed of coaches, trainers, managers, medical and administrative staff.
The Jakabaring Sports City plays host to 19 sports while 22 sports will be staged in separate venues in Jakarta.
Magat said accommodation has never been an issue in Jakarta as well as the completion of its venues but athletes and officials should brace for a logistical nightmare owing to the notorious traffic and the location of competition sites.
