PSC to send token team to SEA games

MANILA—PSC Commissioner Salvador Adrada said that the Phililippines may just send a “token” delegation in the 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in December following the exclusion of five Olympic events by host Myanmar.

Andrada said that the removal of water polo, badminton, gymnastics, lawn tennis and table tennis from the meet scheduled on Dec. 11 to 22 is not in line with the spirit of the Games.

He said the Seag was organized to establish closer ties among the 11 member-nations of the region.

“Removing some of these events, which are Olympic sports, just because they have no chance of winning does not jive to the ‘spirit of the competition,’” said Andrada.

The former Philippine Lawn Tennis (Philta) head said that protesting against the move of the Myanmar organizing committee would be useless if other member-countries will not be united.

“Kung tayo lang ang mag-protesta, wala ring mangyari. Kailangan marami tayo,” he said.

The 76-year-old Andrada, the oldest among the four commissioners of the Philippine Sports Commission, said the exclusion of some disciplines also weakened our chances of winning more gold medals.

Other sports not included in the Myanmar Games are fencing and bowling.

“The exclusion also at the same time removed some athletes in our delegation. What will happen is we will be sending just a token contingent,” he added.