Philippines among 8 nations calling for SEA Games to push through this year
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has spearheaded eight of the 11 Southeast Asian countries in pushing against the postponement of the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in November.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino on Wednesday told The STAR that the country along with Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Brunei and Timor Leste are in agreement of holding the biennial event as scheduled.
“We are the countries pushing not to postpone,” said Tolentino after their online meeting with SEA Games Federation members on Thursday.
But the congressman from Tagaytay said everything will be decided next week.
“Final decision next week, tuloy or postpone,” said Tolentino.
Vietnam on Monday has asked all SEA countries on their opinion about the possibility of resetting the biennial event to possibly March next year or having other nations cohost the games after a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases in the region.
“No decision yet, it’s still government of Vietnam to decide,” he said.
The recent development came just more than a week after the Philippines most of its athletes, coaches, officials and delegates bound for the biennial event received jabs as response to Vietnam’s “no vaccine, no play” policy.
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