EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL
Let SEA Games be a unifying force
Cheating and paranoia continue to mar what could be an ideal means of promoting regional fellowship

Published on December 17, 2007


The curtain has been drawn on this year's SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima in a typical manner: the host country is full of pride after dominating the medals table and the media in neighbouring countries are left bemoaning "cheating" or unfair tactics. The bitterness of visiting athletes may have been assuaged somewhat by a grand closing ceremony and everyone was left looking forward to meeting again, but that doesn't mean Southeast Asian countries are anywhere nearer a cure for the ingrained malaise when it comes to regional sports competitions, specifically the lack of trust and the over-emphasis on the medal count. Male boxers from the Philippines boycotted the final rounds of this year's SEA Games, saying they were doing so to protest against unfair decisions involving their female boxers. This leaves a bad taste in the mouth, not least because of the fact that the previous SEA Games in Manila were marred by what were probably even greater allegations of cheating. In fact, similar incidents and allegations have spoiled virtually every SEA Games.

It has become a nasty, inescapable circle. Visiting countries are cheated, or feel they have been cheated; then when it's their turn to host they exact revenge, or are accused of cheating. The host country is focused not on being a good host, but rather on ensuring that it takes the top spot in the medal count, otherwise it is considered a total failure and a big source of shame.

The Manila SEA Games triggered a minor diplomatic row. Then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra lashed out fiercely in support of Thai athletes, who he said had been taken advantage of in the Games. His outburst drew a strong response from Manila, with a few media outlets mocking what they deemed his sour-grapes attitude.

It always seems that whenever the SEA Games take place, the otherwise warm neighbourly relations among member countries are put to the test. Every host tends to be labelled "the dirtiest ever", and the next one will be seen as even dirtier. As long as the misguided tendency to make up for every loss is not corrected, or as long as nobody takes the initiative to say, "Enough is enough. We will not cheat, whether the others follow suit or not", the next SEA Games will be another sad case of deja vu.

The worst thing is that the problem is not limited to governments or Games officials. Sport fans in this region have become a mass of hypocrites, whose blind loyalties and prejudices are fanned by the media in their respective countries. Every SEA Games will start with hype about the need of whichever country is hosting it to be the overall champion. Then we put every decision that favours the home country under a microscope, but when we host the event, all controversial decisions are waved off as trivial. A Thai newspaper headline about the Philippine boxing boycott is a classic SEA Games headline: "Pin Puan" (Filipinos stirring things up) A columnist in another Thai newspaper hailed every gold Thai medal as "unquestionably clean".

This mentality is common in sports, but is way too prevalent for comfort where the SEA Games is concerned. It has spawned mistrust, soured friendships and overshadowed the genuine achievements of some truly great regional sportsmen.

The saddest thing is that this trend feeds on itself and come the next Games, the new host will find extra motivation to place first in the medal count, or at least overtake its nearest rival - at any cost. Visiting athletes, on the other hand, will be paranoid if they assume that they will not only face competition, but also fall prey to unfair tactics of the host nation.

Can Asean break away from this vicious sporting cycle? What does it take to foster constructive competition among neighbours who are so friendly in most other ways? Why is it easier to build trust when it comes to complex tariff issues than when, say, Thailand as a host introduces a new type of sepak takraw ball at its SEA Games? Why is it that every introduction of a new sport is automatically deemed a cheap trick on the part of the host country to win more medals?

Asean has been celebrating its relations, its Charter and so forth. Perhaps it's time to look at something closer to its people. Maybe it's time Asean officials sit down together and find a way to make the SEA Games what it's supposed to be - a venue for sportsmanship, trust and unity.