THE Philippines is bound to
lose outright eight potential gold medals in next year’s 33rd
Southeast Asian Games unless host Thailand reconsiders weightlifting, wushu,
jiu-jitsu, and karate which were scrapped from its 40-sport program.
“We already appealed to the
Thai hosts the inclusion of weightlifting, wushu, jiu-jitsu, and karate,” said
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino who led
a team in the SEA Games Federation meeting in Bangkok over the weekend.
“And it’s not only the
Philippines which appealed but most of the game's 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 courtesy
Jamie Lim and Sakura Alforte, and weightlifting’s Erleen Ando and Vanessa Sarno won
a gold medal each in the 32nd SEA Games last year in Cambodia.
“We will lose a lot of gold
medals if the appeal isn’t 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 the skateboard.
The POC has not picked a chef de mission to the Thailand Games.
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