Vietnam, Laos still to submit team lists

Vietnam and Laos are the only countries which have yet to submit their official entries by name while 14 sports disciplines from Philippines still have to forward their final lineup for the coming 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

The deadline for the submission of entry by name had ended last Oct. 31 but the Support Management Group of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) has decided to extend the submission of the final lineup for one more week to give ample time to the two member countries.

"We learned that Vietnam was hit by a strong typhoon over the weekend, while Laos has informed us that it is still awaiting the results of the final selection of some of the sports associations," said Support Committee chief Nestor Ilagan.

The technical official said he had already informed the 14 sports associations to submit their complete lineup to speed up the processing in recording and accrediting the athletes and officials.

"The earlier the better. You see, yung lineup, especially sa multi-event sports kailangan salain pang maigi dahil may atleta na sasabak sa three or more events kaya aayusin pa namin ‘yan bago dalhin sa accreditation committee for the issuance of cards," said Ilagan.

Sports associations which remained unaccounted with only 22 days left before the Games were athletics, basketball, boxing, canoeing, equestrian, pencat silat, golf, gymnastics, lawn bowls, kayak, petanque, rowing, sepak takraw, softball and volleyball.

The host team based on the entry by numbers submitted earlier has the biggest number of delegates with 892 (529 men and 363 women) athletes competing in all 41 sports to be disputed in the biennial meet set to unfold Nov. 27-Dec. 5.

Thailand, led by her majesty Princess Sirivanna Nariritana who will compete in badminton, followed with 780 (473-343) then Indonesia with 779 (443-336) and Malaysia with 613 (369-24).

Completing the list are Vietnam (652), Singapore (658), Myanmar (452), Brunei (271), Cambodia (108), Laos (102) and Timor Leste (29).