• 
• 

Published on November 21, 2007

The rhythmic gymnastics team event, women's windsurfing, skeet team, trap team, double trap individual, double trap team, women's squash singles, women's weightlifting 48kg and over-75kg and women's Muay Thai lightweight have been axed from the tournament, leaving 475 gold medals from 43 sports up for grabs.

The 24th SEA Games Organising Committee agreed to remove the 10 events as each featured only two participants. The Games regulations state that an event has to have at least four nations taking part in it.

"At the meeting we decided we shouldn't include those 10 events in the programme. We have to follow the rules although sports associations attempted to stage these events,'' said the Games Organising Committee chairman Suwit Yodmanee, also the Minister of Tourism and Sports.

The chairman also said HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn would preside over the opening ceremony at 6 pm on December 6 at the main stadium in Nakhon Ratchasima.

He said the International Olympic Committee planned to present His Majesty the King an IOC Trophy to honour him for his devotion and commitment to sports.

The International Sailing Federation will award the king an ISAF Gold Medal and

a replica of the OK Dinghy boat, which His Majesty used to win the gold medal in 1967 in the fourth edition of what was then called the SEAP Games.

Suwit said the government has set a budget of Bt1.4 billion to host the Games.

Lerpong Amsangiam

The Nation