General News - Saturday December 15, 2007
@ THAILAND
FANS BRING GAMES ALIVE
Curtain falls today on region's biggest sporting event
Story by WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
Fans help make sporting events more colourful and spicy, and also encourage athletes to play till they drop. Without the fans, any competition would be less exciting and dull.
The 24th SEA Games, which ends today, attracted a large number of fans from neighbouring countries, who have taken advantage of low cost airfares to travel to Thailand and cheer on their athletes, many of them medal winners from the various sports contested.
Having their faces painted in their national colours to show their patriotism has now become fashionable for these fans.
However, possibly the most attractive fan at the Korat Games was a Vietnamese supporter who wore a sexy outfit with only her headband giving away which country she supported.
When she was at the stadium cheering for her country during a football match, a lot of fans appeared to be more interested in watching her than the game itself.
Thailand's athletes in popular sports such as football and sepak takraw were often supported by roaring fans led by well known comedian-cum-cheerleaders.
But while most fans cheered on their athletes in a good manner, officials and competitors from certain countries seemed to have forgotten the Games motto of "spirit, friendship and celebration".
The Philippine team forfeited all but one of their seven finals in the men's boxing to protest against "unfair" officiating, while an Indonesian cabinet member reacted angrily when one of his country's taekwondo fighters was defeated.
The mascot of the Games was a cat called Can - which means an Isan musical instrument or the word "can" in English - and Thailand's athletes proved they "can" win back the overall title. It was the fourth straight time that the host nation finished on top of the medal standings at the SEA Games.
The 25th SEA Games will be held in Vientiane, Laos, in 2009.
Bangkok Post
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