MANILA, June 24 ------ The Philippines has appealed to Thailand over its non-inclusion of certain sports in the program for next year's 33rd Southeast Asian Games. According to the Philippine Olympic Committee, the country may miss out on eight potential gold medals after Thailand scrapped weightlifting, wushu, jiu-jitsu and karate from its 40-sport program. "We already appealed to the Thai hosts the inclusion of weightlifting, wushu, jiu-jitsu and karate," POC President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said, after a meeting of the SEA Games Federation in Bangkok. "It's not only the Philippines which appealed, but a majority of the games members," he added.
Thailand is hosting the SEA Games from December 9 to 20 in Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla. Jiu-jitsu athletes Kaila Napolis, Annie Ramirez and Marc Lim, wushu's Agatha Wong, karate's Jamie Lim and Sakura Alforte and weightlifting's Erleen Ando and Vanessa Sarno delivered gold medals for the Philippines in the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia last year. "We will lose a lot of gold medals if the appeal won't be granted," said Tolentino, adding the country will compete in all 40 medal sports but not in the demonstration sports tug of war and flying disc or frisbee.
Tolentino attended the meeting with POC secretary general Atty. Wharton Chan, deputy secretary-general Ali Sulit of judo, Don Caringal of volleyball, Karen Tanchangco-Caballero of sepak takraw and Carl Sambrano of skateboard. The POC has yet to pick a chef de mission to the Thailand games.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
Comentarios