Indonesian batting for SEA Games expansion

A member of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Federation Council is proposing the expansion of the Southeast Asian Games in bid to boost the level of play of athletes in the region.

Indonesian Olympic Committee president Raja Sapta Oktohari raised the idea of inviting several Asian countries, including those in the Pacific like Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, to be part of the regional multi-sport tournament that they will re-brand as “SEA Games Plus.”

If the plan doesn’t miscarry, the Philippines will be hosting the “SEA Games Plus” in 2028, a year after Malaysia had its turn in 2027.

“We are in contact with several countries to begin expanding the SEA Games,” Oktohari said in a meeting at their national Olympic committee headquarters last Wednesday. 

“In addition to the 11 Southeast Asian nations, Bhutan and several Oceania countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Fiji could take part.”

Right now, the SEA Games has 11 member countries. But aside from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, other countries like Cambodia, Timor Leste, Myanmar and Brunei and Laos are not competing prominently.

In fact, in the 33rd SEA Games that was held in Bangkok last week, Myanmar, Timor Leste, Brunei and Laos had only six gold medals between them with Cambodia pulling out due to its ongoing border conflict with the host country. On the other hand, Thailand emerged victorious with a record haul of 233 gold medals while Indonesia and Vietnam finished second and third with 87 and 57 mints, respectively.

But if “SEA Games Plus” pushes through, the Thais and other regional heavyweights will have a run for their money.

Australia is considered as one of the world’s strongest teams as it finished fourth overall in the Paris Olympics with 18 gold medals behind the United States, China and Japan. New Zealand, on the other hand, was at No. 11 with 10 gold, seven silver and three bronze medals.

In men’s basketball, a tournament greatly dominated by the Filipinos, the Australians and the Kiwis are tough nuts to crack with Gilas Pilipinas struggling to beat them every time they collide in FIBA Asia events. Gilas will meet both the Australians and Kiwis anew in the second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers this February.

Oktohari said it’s about time for the SEA Games Federation Council to grow and put special emphasis on the quality of teams and the quality of sports in the calendar. After all, in the previous SEA Games, numerous reports of cheating and manipulation by the host country surfaced due to its power to decide on what sports will be played and what rules will be applied.

Aside from that, border conflict, political instability and even natural disaster hounded the event, leaving struggling to compete in what was billed as one of the most chaotic stagings of the Games ever.

“All hosts, whether it be Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, or Indonesia, want to top the medal table,” said Oktohari, who is obviously not happy with the way the previous SEA Games turned out. 

“In the period ahead, Indonesia will proactively prioritize Olympic sports, as multi-sport events require substantial financial resources.”

The country’s top sports leaders have yet to comment on the Indonesian proposal, but Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio made a statement that he wants the SEA Games to feature more Olympic sports.

“I totally agree. New sports that are only known in Southeast Asia should not be allowed. Let’s follow Olympic rules,” said Gregorio, adding that the SEA Games should not just focus on camaraderie and sportsmanship but should also prepare the athletes for major international events like the Asian Games, Olympics and World Championships.

“I really support that. We talked to (Philippine Olympic Committee) president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino and he wants that for the Southeast Asian Games as well.”