Malaysian officials see red over SEA Games
Reuters - Wednesday 16 February 2011, 06:32
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Several Malaysian sports
associations are bitterly disappointed to have been axed from
this year's Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia and are demanding
the disciplines be reinstated.
The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) had been inundated
with calls to intervene after billiards and snooker, and women's
football were among those cut, Malaysia's Bernama news agency
reported.
Shooting, cycling and sailing events were also among those
affected at the November 11-25 event in Palembang, which comprises
of 44 sports.
Indonesian organisers opted instead to include bridge,
paragliding, roller-skating, wall climbing and the Vietnamese
martial art vovinam, among other events.
"We hope the OCM will act quickly and firmly to reinstate
the events," National Shooting Association of Malaysia (NSAM)
secretary Jasni Shaari told the agency.
"Not only Malaysia but Thailand and the Philippines are also
facing the same predicament," he added, complaining the decision
to drop events Malaysia excelled in was unfair.
The 26th edition of the biennial multi-sport event involving
the 11 countries from the region will be the fourth to be hosted
by Indonesia. The first SEA Games took place in Bangkok in 1959.