Bangkok: Organisers of this year's SEA Games have called for understanding among member countries after Malaysia's sports minister blasted Laos for turning the competition into a low level "community games".
Somphou Phongsa, Laos deputy Olympic Chief, said all 11 countries had recently agreed - and Ismail Sabri Yaacob's threat to send a secong string team would go against the spirit of the Games.
We are poor country with limited facilities to host the normal number of sports. We have made that clear and everyone has agreed." Somphou said by telephone yesterday.
"I dont know of the minister comments but we expect support and we expect every country to send the best athletes they have."
Ismail Sabri this week said Malaysia's performance would be hurt by the scrapping of some traditional Olympic sports and he would consider sending younger, less experienced athletes to Laos "community games"
The comminist nation is relying almost entirely on foreign funding to host the Games and has caused a stir by choosing obscure disciplines like pencak silat, fin swimming and petanque in place of sports like gymnastics, cycling and basketball.
It has also come under fire for introducing athlete quotas to stop countries sweeping the medals at the Dec 9-18 Games in Vientiane, which will be the cash strapped nation's first international sports event. - Reuters.
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