After announcing their withdrawal from the 33rd SEA Games, the entire Cambodian sports delegation returned home safely on the night of December 10th. According to Thmeythmey newspaper, Mr. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), said that the decision to leave Thailand had received the support of all participating sports delegations, including the host country.
He explained that the Cambodian sports delegation withdrew due to concerns about the safety of the athletes. Although they received a warm welcome from Thailand as the host country, he did not rule out the possibility of some extremist elements influencing the athletes amidst escalating tensions between the two countries.
Mr. Vath Chamroeun also shared that the withdrawal of Cambodian athletes caused some scheduling issues, but did not violate the sports regulations of the Southeast Asian Sports Federation. He affirmed that "this was a carefully and precisely prepared strategy, designed to both maintain Cambodia's image and avoid violating sports regulations, while also gaining support."
"The Cambodian sports delegation has successfully fulfilled its role and nhiệm vụ," the NOCC Secretary-General declared at Techo International Airport.
As for the 33rd SEA Games, the competitions still took place instead of being canceled after the Cambodian athletes withdrew. On December 11th, Thailand won another taekwondo gold medal after just one match.
In the under 67 kg weight category, with only three competitors vying and the Cambodian athlete subsequently withdrawing, the gold medal was decided in a single match. Thai boxer Piyachat Chariwan defeated his Myanmar opponent 2-0 to quickly win the gold medal.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/campuchia-cho-biet-rut-khoi-sea-games-33-la-chien-luoc-duoc-chuan-bi-truoc-post1803914.tpo
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