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Squash, bodybuilding back in SEAGamesDate: 04.06.2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team Thailand
Nakhon Ratchasima (Agencies) - Squash and bodybuilding are expected to be reinstated in the 24th SEA Games here in December after member countries, keen on medal hunt, made a last minute compromise.
The SEA Games Federation (SGF) executive committee member Prof Charoen Wattanasin said the biennial games would now have 43 sports while the number of events would rise dramatically from 441 to 488.
"Bodybuilding and squash are included because there are international sports.
"Bodybuilding's entry was objected by several countries but after some discussion, we agree to include it with certain conditions," he told a press conference after SGF executive committee meeting here today.
However, he said, their inclusions must be approved by the SGF Council in a meeting tomorrow.
Charoen, who is the Thailand Badminton Association president, said among the conditions for bodybuilding's inclusion in the Games was that the sport's authority must sign a memorandum of understanding with the SGF stating that the umpiring would be transparent as well as giving more emphasis on doping.
"The score of each judge must be shown on the scoreboard, the highest and lowest scores must be excluded so that the umpiring would be more transparent.
"We are also concerned with doping because in the Doha Asian Games, nine out of 15 cases involved bodybuilding," he said.
"If they don't agree, bodybuilding will have no place in this SEA Games," he said.
The inclusion of squash and additional events in other sports were seen as a compromise as some countries, including squash powerhouse Malaysia, had objected strongly against Thailand's move to include bodybuilding.
Among the sports that will see an increase in the number of events are billiard and snooker with two new events, bowling (mixed doubles), athletics (women's 10km walk), cycling (men's team pursuit, men's and women's Olympic sprint, men's and women's sprint) and wushu (men's 65kg and women's 60kg)
Gymnastics will see the inclusion of five new events while karate four (team kata and team kumite both men's and women's),
Dance sport, introduced by the Philippines in the Manila Games, will see the highest number of new events from just two to 10, caneoing four, aquatics (diving) four, boxing one and traditional boat two.
Thailand has allocated 1.462 billion baht to organise the Games from Dec 6 to 15.
Korat, situated about 240km north of Bangkok, is due to host 27 sports while the rest will be held in Bangkok and Pattaya.
The 24th edition of the biennial Games will carry the theme "Spirit, Friendship and Celebration" as the host nation expects more than 6,000 athletes and officials from 11 South East Asian countries to take part.
The last SEA Games hosted by Thailand was held in the northern city of Chiang Mai in 1995.
The Nakhon Ratchasima province is in the final stage of completing the construction of US$77 million sports complex which among others includes two indoor stadiums with the capacity of 5,000 and 2,000 people respectively, a 20,000-capacity outdoor stadium and a 50m Olympic pool.
The Games' opening date was picked to commemorate the 80th birth anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch.
The 43 sports included in the Games are:
Athletics, aquatics, archery, badminton, basketball, baseball, billiards & snooker, bodybuilding, bowling, handball, hockey, boxing, canoeing, rowing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football & futsal, golf, gymnastics, judo, karate-do, rugby, sailing, windsurf, sepak takraw, shooting, softball, squash, table tennis, triathlon, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, dance sport, lawn bowl, Muay Thai, petanque, pencak silat and traditional boat race.
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