MANILA, Philippines — POC president Mayor Abraham (Bambol) Tolentino has disclosed that there will be a new order in the SEA Games starting the 2025 edition in Thailand to come closer to a level playing field and end the tradition of tweaking rules of competition to favor host nations. Tolentino recently attended the SEA Games Rules and Constitution Committee meeting in Thailand where he proposed structural reforms that will be presented to the SEA Games Federation Council for final approval.
Tolentino said the coming Cambodia SEA Games will be the last gasp for a host country to tamper with rules of engagement. In gymnastics, for instance, two-time world champion Carlos Yulo is restricted to compete in only two events because of his dominance. In boxing, there are 12 gold medals at stake for men and five for women. Cambodia is cleared to participate in all 17 weight divisions but other countries are limited to a maximum of nine for men and three for women. In karate, 17 gold medals are up for grabs with Cambodia competing in all events but other countries in only up to 14.
Host nations have topped the medal standings in 10 of the last 14 SEA Games with the only exceptions Singapore in 2015, Myanmar in 2013, Laos in 2009 and Brunei in 1999. The Philippines’ two overall championships were claimed when Manila hosted in 2005 and 2019. In the previous SEA Games, the Philippines placed fourth behind host Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia with Cambodia finishing eighth. Tolentino said Cambodia is pulling out all the stops to climb the medal standings and that means dislodging one of the top four finishers in Hanoi with the hope it’s not the Philippines.
Tolentino said the competition in the SEA Games after Cambodia will consist of the two mandatory Olympic sports (athletics, aquatics), minimum 10 and maximum 15 other Olympic sports, minimum 10 and maximum 15 non-Olympic sports in the Asian Games, maximum three regional or indigenous sports and maximum three non-bearing demonstration sports. He also said prohibiting an athlete from competing in several events in a sport like gymnastics and limiting countries to participate in events where the host nation is allowed to enter all events will be a thing of the past.
Tolentino said he has also initiated constitutional reforms in POC, including age limit of 75 for officials and restricting an individual to become president of only one NSA. “The amendments have been approved by the POC Board and they’ve been forwarded to IOC,” he said. “Once IOC gives its thumbs-up, we’ll submit to the POC General Assembly for ratification.” He mentioned NSAs in swimming and tennis are still suspended by their International Federations but POC has taken an active role in resolving compliance issues to lift the bans. Tolentino also said Fil-Am world breakdancing champion Logan Edra, 19, was recently in Manila to receive her Philippine passport and will represent the country in Cambodia.