OCA chief questions Myanmar ‘events’

MANILA, Philippines - Even the president of the Olympic Council of Asia is surprised with the number of events organizers of the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar have included in this year’s calendar of events.

“I’m very surprised with those kinds of events,” said Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah, head of the Kuwait Olympic Committee and OCA president since 1991.

The former officer of the Kuwaiti Army is in the country, and was treated to lunch yesterday by Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco at the Marriott Hotel.

Al-Sabah had a closed-door meeting with Cojuangco, POC vice president Jose Romasanta and secretary-general Steve Hontiveros before they joined the big group of Filipino sports officials for lunch.

The 49-year-old Royal visitor first confirmed with the POC officials the OCA decision to award the Philippines the hosting of the Asian Games Centennial Celebration in November.

“This is a very important event not only for the Philippines but for Asia,” said Al-Sabah of the celebration set Nov. 26-29 in the island paradise of Boracay and to be attended by all OCA members.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia said the government sports agency is throwing its full support in the event through “manpower, financial and whatever is needed.”

The Kuwaiti official was also briefed by the POC leadership about the controversy surrounding the Myanmar SEA Games on Dec. 1-12.

Myanmar is determined to move up the standings, from seventh in 2011 in Indonesia when it included close to 60 events, mostly from traditional and indigenous sports, where its athletes have strong chances of winning.

It’s almost a guarantee that Myanmar will overtake the Philippines in sixth place. Of the 36 gold medals the Filipinos won in 2011, 16 of them have been scrapped by Myanmar organizers.

“Today I have a report from the Philippine NOC (National Olympic Committee) about the events during the next SEA Games in Myanmar,” said Al-Sabah in a short question and answer.

“There are about 60 new events not known by the Olympic movement and known only by one or two countries,” added Al-Sabah, referring to martial arts sports like vovinam and kempo, offering 18 gold medals each.

Then there’s chinlone (cane ball) with eight golds. A total of 14 events were included in chess, and most of these new events are not being practiced by the other countries like the Philippines.

Myanmar also dropped Olympic sports like gymnastics, lawn tennis and beach volleyball this year. As a result, the POC is toying with the idea of sending only a token delegation to Myanmar.

Al-Sabah, however, said the OCA has no jurisdiction over the SEA Games Federation, and even if it did it’s already too late to change the calendar. Myanmar said it has already finalized the 460 events to be played this year.

“It’s a different organization in the Sea Games. They have their own organization, and it’s too late for this year with nine months left,” he said.

But it’s not too late for future stagings of the SEA Games, supposed to be a training ground for the regional athletes vying in the Asian Games, World Championships and the Olympics.

“If there’s more than one NOC with the same intention, then we will start discussion with the organization. Usually you give the organizers or the host some local events to give them a chance to get more medals but not more than 10 percent of the size of the Games.

“If there are 400 events, there should only be 40 events of those kind of sports (traditional and indigenous). But more than this, it will lay a bad role (precedent),” said the distinguished visitor.