Thailand denies SEAG pullout move

Thailand denies SEAG pullout move

JAKARTA (JP): The 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games sepak
takraw champion Thailand denied reports saying it would pull out
of the Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 biennial event in Kuala Lumpur if the
new 21-point scoring system was used.

Bernama news agency reported that Thai team manager Nippon
Siripontham had informed Malaysian team manager Mohammad Omar of
his objections at the Khon Kean Cup championship in Bangkok last
April.

Thailand prefers the 15-point scoring system although the new
system has been approved by the International Sepaktakraw
Federation (Istaf) for use at the Games.

"We are fully prepared for the Games. The players are training
very hard (in Bangkok). There is no question of us withdrawing,"
an official of the Thailand National Olympic Council, who
requested anonymity, said as quoted by Bernama.

"In fact, Thailand was among the promoters of sepaktakraw, so
we can't simply pull out of the competition." (yan)