Council meeting approves more sports for SEA Games

JAKARTA: Indonesia has turned down the call from several Southeast Asian countries for Indonesia to host the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in one city, citing a presidential decree that requires the biennial games be spread across four cities.

"We decided to host the SEA Games in four cities as stipulated by the presidential decree on the matter, although some delegations have called on us to hold the event in one city in order to minimize the cost of each contingent," chairperson of the National Olympic Committee Rita Subowo told reporters after the SEA Games council meeting at Hotel Mulia in Jakarta on Sunday.

The four provinces that have been appointed to host the Games are Greater Jakarta, South Sumatera, West Java and Central Java.

"Although we are hosting the Games in four different places, we will try to make it as efficient as possible," added Rita.

During the council meeting, the Olympic committee proposed six additional sports to be included in the next Games. The six games are paragliding, bouldering, roller skating, bridge, futsal and soft tennis.

Several other sports were proposed by other members of the council to be included in the Games, including Muay Thai, Arnis, field-hockey, netball, petanque, triathlon, vovinam and cricket. - JP