Boxing reconsidered for 2015 SEAG in Singapore

MANILA, Philippines – It's hard to imagine a Southeast Asian Games without boxing.

So when news broke out that the sport, the country's traditional goldmine in the biennial multi-sports event, wasn't included in the initial list earlier released by the Southeast Asian Games Federation, it made top Filipino officials wary.

But now, it’s back in the calendar after the sports and rules committee of the SEAGF approved boxing's re-inclusion along with five other sports in the list of disciplines to be played in the 28th SEAG edition slated June 5-16 in Singapore next year.

It can be recalled that the organizing committee approved an initial list of 30 sports disciplines, excluding boxing.

But in a meeting last week in Singapore, Phl Olympic Committee chair Tom Carrasco confirmed boxing's re-inclusion along with traditional boat race, equestrian, indoor volleyball, petanque and floorball.

"Total sports approved to date are now 36," said Carrasco, who arrived Friday from the SEAGF meeting in Singapore.

Of the 36, 24 are Olympic sports while 34 are part of the Asian Games calendar with the other two, including netball, as non-Olympic and Asiad events.

Thankfully, boxing, which delivered three-gold, four-silver and three-bronze medal haul in last December's SEAG in Myanmar, where the country absorbed a debacle no thanks to a worst ever seventh place performance, was there.

"It's a welcome news, very good news," said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson, who is currently in Ho Chi Min in Vietnam.

Carrasco said the host country may accept one or two more events, which will be a toss-up among karatedo, weightlifting and kempo.

"There are requests among the members but the strongest candidates are karatedo, weightlifting and kempo in that order. I think, if Singapore will decide on it, they will choose only one," he said.