KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Eight national sports associations (NSA) have appealed to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) for their inclusion in the 31st SEA Games scheduled to take place in Vietnam next year.
The eight sports are sambo (martial art), cricket, sailing, netball, lawn ball, indoor hockey, squash, and seven-a-side rugby.
OCM president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said all the appeals would be presented by an OCM representative during a virtual meeting with members of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) on July 21 and 22.
Mohamad Norza said he had also instructed the body’s secretary-general Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib to get the full list of sports from the NSAs that intended to file an appeal.
“According to rough estimates, based on the suggestions (of types of sports) from Vietnam, we will lose about 18 gold medals, if compared to our participation at 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.
“If compared with the 2017 edition (in Kuala Lumpur), we will lose 40 gold medals,” he told reporters after chairing OCM’s 193rd executive council meeting at Wisma OCM here today.
In this regard, Mohamad Norza did not rule out the possibility of more junior and back-up athletes being sent to compete in the 2021 SEA Games, however, he said it was subject to discussions with the National Sports Council, National Sports Institute, and respective NSAs.
He stressed that allowing the younger athletes to compete would provide them with much-needed exposure for bigger challenges, including the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Vietnam reportedly plans to feature 36 sports involving 450 events at the 31st Edition of the SEA Games scheduled from November 21 to December 2 next year.
Malaysia finished fifth in the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines with 56 gold, 58 silver, and 71 bronze medals after competing in 52 out of 56 sports featured in the event. — Bernama
