CEBU CITY, Philippines— The preparations for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) will go full swing in January, according to Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chief, on Sunday.
Tolentino announced that the preparations for the SEA Games would shift to ‘high gear’ in January, roughly five months before tip-off in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In January, there will be a meeting between the Chefs de Mission of the SEA Games member countries to discuss the preparations.
Ramon Fernandez, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner and the Philippines Chef de Mission, and his deputies—Lawyer Alberto Agra of obstacle sports, and Pearl Managuelod of Muay Thai—are expected to fly to Hanoi in January to attend the important meeting.
“Although the SEA Games are just months away, we believe the hosts are doing everything for a successful hosting,” Tolentino said.
“They’re prepared because if not for the pandemic, the Games should have been done and over with this time,” he said.
The 31st SEA Games supposedly happened last November 21 to December 2.
Due to the sudden uptrend of the COVID-19’s Delta variant, the organizers of the SEA Games decided to move it to a more favorable date: May 12 to 23.
The Philippines, which topped the medal tally in the 2019 SEA Games, is expected to send 626 delegates to compete in 29 of the 30 sports featured next year.
The second Chefs de Mission and Technical Delegates Meeting are set for March 13.
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