The 18th Asian Games in Indonesia is not a playground for athletes wanting to gain experience.
Philippine chef de mission Julian Camacho has made sure national sports associations won’t be sending tourists even as he got assurance from the Philippine Olympic Committee that only gold and silver medalists from the Southeast Asian Games could book a ticket.
A total of 23 gold medalists from last year’s Kuala Lumpur SEA Games are assured of spots in the Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 multi-sport continental meet.
The list includes double-gold medalist Trenten Beram of athletics, Gilas Pilipinas basketball team and men’s ice hockey squad.
“We want to make sure that every athlete can contend for medals,’’ said Camacho.
The POC approved Camacho’s proposal that athletes who didn’t nab either gold or silver from the SEA Games would stay home.
There were 34 silver and 63 bronze medalists from the KL meet.
Camacho, however, is not closing the door on the bronze medalists and other athletes who aspire to compete in the 45-nation Asiad set in the cities of Jakarta and Palembang.
“From now until the deadline (for submission of lineups), they have to show their worth by figuring prominently in Asian-level tournaments,’’ said Camacho.