Self-serving

Thailand is way ahead of the medal tally in the final stretch of the Southeast Asian Games. Its closest pursuer has only about one-third of the gold medals hauled thus far by the country of the most polite people in the world. Insurmountable. But not credible.

The host country dictates which events are played, except probably mandatory sports. Expectedly, any host country picks events where they dominate and ditches those where their rivals excel. Abuse of prerogative, all in the name of overall championship. Every host country is guilty, including the Philippines. Some may call it cheating, but others may call it strategy.

Whatever. The Philippines and other countries already lost the battle, but not the war. The regional games is the lowest level of international competition. It only exposes national teams and individual players against foreign opposition. It gauges their medal chances for the big one, the Asian Games, and the ultimate test, the Olympics.

But still, Thailand tops its Southeast Asian neighbors with 41 medals in the Olympics, 11 of them gold, followed by Indonesia with 40 medals, 10 gold. The Philippines is third with 18 medals, 3 gold. Thailand and Indonesia must be doing something right. And the Philippines could be getting it right.

Concede the championship in the regionals now. For, the host country also has discretion to decide player eligibility. Thailand banned naturalized players on short notice. It strikes the Philippines where it hurts most the men s basketball. Nipped in the bud. It reveals Thai envy of Filipino men s basketball supremacy in the region. Conversely, the Philippines is always frustrated by the invincible Thai women s volleyball.

Then there is home court advantage. And it inheres in the host country that feels too at home it unfairly plays against its guests. Their country, their rules. Judges from neutral countries appear neutered. Filipino boxers should either slug with superiority or knock their Thai foes out to win. Otherwise, any split decision splits an expectant nation. Any doubt, even unreasonable, is resolved in favor of the host country.

Something must be done to equalize opportunities for regional sports supremacy. If these host country perks are not tempered or fixed, the real battle boils down to second place, which is actually the first place among those who play fair and square in unfamiliar territory, without reference to the second-placer rule in elections abandoned by the supreme court for lack of legal basis. Or for replacing people s will, which is unfortunately unwell.