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Choice of sports ‘fair, far-sighted’

SINGAPORE — Thirty-six sports with a total of 381 gold medals is an ideal representation which should please the members of the South-east Asian (SEA) Games Federation, said the long-serving honorary secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), Sieh Kok Chi (picture).

SINGAPORE — Thirty-six sports with a total of 381 gold medals is an ideal representation which should please the members of the South-east Asian (SEA) Games Federation, said the long-serving honorary secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), Sieh Kok Chi (picture).

He told TODAY he has written a letter to his Singapore counterpart Chris Chan commending the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) for their farsightedness and the fairness in the choice of sports which will be represented at the 28th SEA Games here (June 5-16).

“I told Chris that as hosts, they’ve done a good job (in deciding what sports should be represented),” said Sieh.

“And I am sure they’ve done their homework and put time and effort to find out why such and such a sport should be included or excluded.

“The sports to be contested are ones which the sporting world is familiar with in a multi-event meet … exceptional sports which only the hosts are familiar with,” he added.

Sieh, who has held the OCM post since 1992, warned of the haggling or last minute lobbying for more sports to be included when the SEA Games Federation council meets in Singapore next month.

“I think the local organising committee (LOC) should stand firm and say that enough is enough. Thirty-six sports will keep our hands full. And I don’t think the LOC should even entertain requests for additional events,” he said.

However, Sieh noted the Singapore Games might not be fair to women’s participation.

“Even as we speak of gender equality, there are still sports with no events for women, which is not fair. Like golf, with only men’s team and individual gold medals at stake or football with only the men’s event. Why no women’s event?” he queried

Sieh said he will lend his support to those countries that lobby for the additional women’s events for the 2015 Games. Pencak Silat and Sepak Takraw are two other sports to not feature women’s event.

“Even snooker and billiards will have only one event for women (9-ball pool) while the men have nine gold medals to fight for,” he said.DAN GUEN CHIN

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