Cambodian newspaper points out the reason why the sports delegation withdrew from 8 sports at the SEA Games

Cambodia has taken a bold step ahead of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, withdrawing from eight sports due to safety concerns for athletes and officials, the Khmertimeskh newspaper reported. The decision was made by the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) and the Ministry of Education , Youth and Sports (MoEYS) with the support of the Cambodian government. The decision quickly received strong public support, with praise for the responsible and necessary decision.

Báo Campuchia chỉ ra lý do đoàn thể thao rút khỏi 8 môn tại SEA Games - 1 — Cambodian sports delegation at the departure ceremony for the 33rd SEA Games (Photo: Khmertimeskh).

The regional games, scheduled to take place from December 9 to 20 in Thailand, initially included 21 sports for Cambodia. However, yesterday (November 27), just four days after the government approved the 333-member squad, the National Olympic Committee (NOCC) and the Ministry of Sports and Tourism (MoEYS) announced that Cambodia would no longer be participating in judo, karate, pencak silat, petanque, wrestling, wushu, football and sepak takraw.

With the withdrawal, Cambodia will now compete in 13 sports: swimming, athletics, e-sports, fencing, gymnastics, ju-jitsu, kickboxing, taekwondo, horse riding, jet skiing, triathlon, teqball and volleyball. The new team will consist of around 150 members.

The reason why the Cambodian sports delegation reduced more than half of the athletes participating in the 33rd SEA Games was also revealed by Khmertimeskh:

"In a statement, the NOCC said the safety of Cambodian athletes and sports officials must be given top priority. Concerns have been raised about the situation in Songkhla, a flood-affected area that will host some events, as well as other security risks in Thailand. The committee said the adjustment was made to mitigate potential risks and ensure responsible participation."

Báo Campuchia chỉ ra lý do đoàn thể thao rút khỏi 8 môn tại SEA Games - 2 — Cambodian teams will not participate in football at the 33rd SEA Games (Photo: AFC).

“This is a proactive spirit and a difficult decision by the leadership to ensure the participation and safety of Cambodian sports delegations,” NOCC wrote.

NOCC Secretary General Vath Chamroeun sent a letter on Wednesday to Dato' Seri Chaiyapak Siriwat, CEO of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF), informing Cambodia of the reduced number of participants due to “significant security concerns” that pose a threat to the safety of athletes and officials.

Despite this setback, Cambodia remains committed to hosting the Games in a safe environment. The National Olympic Committee (NOCC) expressed its gratitude to the SEAGF and the Thailand SEA Games Organizing Committee (THASOC) for their understanding and cooperation.

Khmertimeskh also affirmed that the decision to withdraw from many sports at the SEA Games was supported by the Cambodian public: "The public reaction was completely positive. Many Cambodians believe that prioritizing the safety of athletes is more important than sending the entire team, especially during a period of increased tension along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

Social media users praised the government and sports authorities for choosing safety over risk, saying Cambodian athletes could face physical or verbal violence while competing in Thailand. Others went further, calling on the government to send fewer athletes or even consider not participating if safety cannot be guaranteed.