Snafu at the SEAG

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Humiliating. Horrible. The biggest debacle. The worst since '77. Humbling. These were among the descriptive words used by Philippine media, particularly in the country's leading dailies, to describe the results of the 24 th Southeast Asian Games held in Thailand, where the Philippines, champion of the 23 rd , plunged to number 6, and settled among the lower half of the ten participating countries.

But it was not so much the fall from the Number One position in the SEAG that deserved the scoring from the media. What had roused most of them was the fact that the recent games also showed our country, particularly some of our sports officials as, in the words of their own colleagues, “immature”, “unsportsmanlike”, “unpatriotic”, “disrespectful to the host”, “an insult to the king”, among other equally condemnatory terms.

As stressed by North Cotabato Vice Governor, and former sportswriter and boxing expert, Manny Pinol, “the essence of sports is to fight”. The SEAG, however, as another Filipino sportsman, Rudy Salud, put it, are only “goodwill games to foster friendships”. So why have so many harsh words been spoken and printed in relation to the recent competitions?

All these were triggered by the sudden decision of the country's sports leaders to walk out of the boxing bouts that had been scheduled for the team. Six more boxers were supposed to compete when they were stopped, at the point where our country was hovering in the upper half at fifth place. The games closed with the Philippines at the really shameful rank of SIXTH, a position that many believe could have improved a bit had the remaining boxers been allowed to fight. We were edged down by Singapore by snatching two more medals. How do we know that two or more of the six fighters could have managed golds, too, and thereby pushed us up the ranks, a slot or two?

This is now water under the bridge, but as someone pointed out: If our sports leaders were serious about their roles, how come the head of the Philippine Sports Commission was present only at the start and finish, while the chief of mission was not at the start and also not at the finish?*