The Philippines stands to lose outright eight potential gold medals in next year’s 33rd Southeast Asian Games unless host Thailand reconsiders its decision to exclude weightlifting, wushu, jiu-jitsu, and karate from the 40-sport program.
“We have already appealed to the Thai hosts for the inclusion of weightlifting, wushu, jiu-jitsu, and karate,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who led a delegation to the SEA Games Federation meeting in Bangkok over the weekend.
“It’s not just the Philippines that has appealed, but a majority of the member countries,” he added.
(C) POC-PSC Media Group
Thailand will host the SEA Games from December 9 to 20 in Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla.
In the 32nd SEA Games last year in Cambodia, athletes such as Kaila Napolis, Annie Ramirez, and Marc Lim in jiu-jitsu, Agatha Wong in wushu, Jamie Lim and Sakura Alforte in karate, and Erleen Ando and Vanessa Sarno in weightlifting each won a gold medal.
(C) POC-PSC Media Group
“We stand to lose many gold medals if the appeal is not granted,” Tolentino warned, adding that the country plans to compete in all 40 medal sports but not in the demonstration sports of tug of war and flying disc (frisbee).
Tolentino attended the meeting alongside POC secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan, Don Caringal for volleyball, Karen Tanchangco-Caballero for sepak takraw, and Carl Sambrano for skateboard.
The POC has yet to appoint a chef de mission for the Thailand games.
