Six sports added to SEA Games' second category

JAKARTA (JP): Six Southeast Asian Games' sports were upgraded from its third category to its second category yesterday.

A two-day SEA Games Federation council meeting, attended by nine delegates from eight countries, decided that 10-pin bowling, golf, karate, sepak takraw, soft tennis and wushu be grouped with its second category sports.

President of the SEAG Federation, Wismoyo Arismunandar, who is also the chairman of the National Sports Council, told a press conference at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta yesterday that the new classification would be officially effective from the 1999 SEA Games.

"It's too soon to apply the new rule in the upcoming SEA Games," Wismoyo said.

Indonesia will host the 19th SEA Games in October next year. The third time it has hosted the games.

Muhammad Sarengat, secretary general of the federation and its Indonesian representative, said that Indonesia would offer only 24 sports at the 19th SEA Games.

"But other countries want to have over 24 sports. That's why today's meeting decided to feature 34 sports in SEA Games," he said.

Yesterday's meeting stipulated that all first category sports, including athletics and swimming, must be contested at every SEA Games. It also stipulated that at least 14 of second category sports be included. It advised that eight of the 16 third category sports should be included.

Wismoyo declined to say how many medals would be contested or the number of events to be included for each sport.

"The number of medals and events will be discussed at the Executive Council meeting, hopefully, on Sept. 28," he said.

"They will be conveyed to members at least a year before the event," he added.

The meeting also changed a regulation requiring at least four countries' approval to stage a feature sport, which had to be entered by at least three countries.

"Now at least five countries must approve a sport before it is featured in the games and at least four participants should take part in the event," Wismoyo said.

On Indonesia's SEA Games preparation, he said the council is yet to meet relevant ministries and private companies to setup the organizing committee for the biennial event.

For the first time, Indonesia will host a privatized SEA Games with the Bimantara conglomerate leading the group organizing it. (yan)