Olympic sports priority in 2019 SEAG

Fair and square.

That’s how the Philippines should win the overall title in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr.

“If we are going to win the overall title, we should win it clean,” said Cojuangco.

The Philippines will host the 11-nation sportsfest in 2019 with Makati City congressman and taekwondo association secretary general Monsour Del Rosario as chief of mission.

Cojuangco said Filipino athletes should reclaim the overall title in the same manner the country ruled the 2005 Manila edition.

Cojuangco was already the POC president at that time while current Philippine Sports Commission chair Butch Ramirez was chief of mission on his first term as head of the sports financing agency.

“When we won it in 2005, nobody criticized us because we did it fair and square,” said Cojuangco.

“We limited the events that favored us and made sure that officiating was done fairly.”

Cojuangco said Olympic sports and Asian events in the 2019 SEA Games should be prioritized in the meet’s calendar.

He also suggested that the Philippine organizing committee, which he will cochair with foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Ramirez, should refrain from offering too many medals in indigenous sports and events where Filipinos are sure winners.

It has become a common practice among host countries to include sports and disciplines where they could strike more gold medals to claim the overall title.