Gov’t must act to save SEAG — Malaysian exec

Dealing with the government is something the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) should have done much, much earlier if it wants to ensure a smooth, successful hosting of the 23rd SEA Games next year.

This was the opinion aired by Datuk Jegathesan, the Malaysian Olympic Committee deputy president who was in the country last week for a two-day SEA Games Federation meeting at the Westin Philippine Plaza.

Jegathesan, the Asian sprint champion of the ’60s, stressed the importance of the government’s role in helping organize and fund major international competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games or the Olympics.

Malaysia hosted the 2001 SEA Games and, according to Jegathesan, couldn’t have done it without early support coming from the government. He said Philsoc, chaired by Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit, should do the same.

"In Malaysia, our Olympic committee and the government worked together. When we made a bid to host the SEA Games, we were already discussing it with the government. The government then shouldered some of the expenses," said the 61-year-old Malaysian sports official.

Jegathesan said Malaysian organizers were able to draw sponsors and raise revenues from ticket sales, adding that there were many sources of income like advertising and marketing.

"But the major expenditure, like the infrastructure, was done by the government," he said.

With barely 21 months left before the 2005 SEA Games, Philsoc, it appears, has yet to come up with clear-cut policy on how to deal with the government, particularly on the funding aspect.

Philsoc said it would need at least P500 million just to organize the games but, with time passing away, might soon be forced to ask for government support.

This, Jegathesan explained, is what Philsoc should have done much earlier.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain recently said the government’s funding arm in sports remain in the dark as to its role in handling the training of the athletes and the infrastructure projects for the 2005 Games.

Buhain said the PSC is still awaiting official word from Philsoc regarding possible repairs or constructions of sports venues and facilities. The PSC is also waiting for the official list of athletes that would undergo rigid training programs for the biennial meet.

"As the SEA Games draws near, the question is where do we (PSC) come in," said Buhain last week.

Jegathesan said Malaysia spent somewhere between $12 to $15 million just to prepare for the 2001 SEA Games.

"And there were only around 4,000 athletes then. When you host it next year, there’ll be close to 6,000," he said, adding that the current peso-to-dollar rate (56:1) will only make it more difficult for Philsoc to organize the Games — without government funding.