December of 2019 saw the
Philippines play host to athletic delegations around Southeast Asia for the
2019 SEA Games. Despite concerns about logistics (the reason the country took
over from original planned host Brunei) and the expense (especially with the
Marawi Siege two years earlier), the multi-sports event was deemed successful,
especially with the host becoming overall champion. It was also fortuitous
timing since the COVID pandemic exploded in 2020. Next SEA Games host Vietnam
hoped the worst would end by 2021. When that did not materialize, there was
possibility that they might cancel even after a postponement to 2022.
The Manila Bulletin reports that Vietnam was being given until next
month by the Southeast Asian Games Federation to decide whether or not they
will push through with the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi next year. This
ultimatum of sorts was revealed by Philippine Olympic Committee President Bambol
Tolentino this Monday, September 20. The SEA Games Federation members held an
online meeting regarding whether Vietnam would be able to uphold its promise to
kick off the event on May 2022, from its original date of November to December
this 2021. If Vietnam cannot guarantee hosting by October, the Federation would
have them cancel the Games.
It is important that Vietnam
could definitively say yes to hosting the SEA Games and that they could commit
to the May 2022 date. That month comes across as the only comfortable window
next year for Southeast Asian athletes to compete, given that other major
regional meets will take place before and after May. March is given over to the
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, with Thailand as host. The next Asian
Games is due on September with China hosting at Hangzhou, and they gather
athletes anew for the Asian Youth Games in December.
Then again all these sporting
dates could be moot if the worst of the COVID pandemic continues all the way
through to next year. Vietnam must confirm its hosting capability or announce
the cancellation of the SEA Games by next month, since Cambodia is also waiting
on hosting the event in 2023. Worrying about whether they will compete or not
might also distract Southeast Asian athletes from the other events including
full-international meets like the July 2022 World Games in the US, and the
Winter Olympics, again in Beijing, China.
Aside from Cambodia, future SEA
Games hosts in order are Thailand (2025), and Laos or Brunei (2027). If these two
countries back out, then Vietnam if it cancels the Games next May, can bid to
host again for that year.
Image courtesy of ONE Esports
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