President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia - Mr. Tan Sri Norza Zakaria - Photo: SHAHIDAN KASSIM
After being selected as the host country for the 34th SEA Games in 2027, the Malaysian sports industry said it had received many agreements from countries in the Southeast Asian region, aiming to prioritize Olympic sports. At the same time, it was determined to make the games escape the image of a "village pond".
The Vietnam Sports Administration quoted Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, as saying that a "village mentality" would not help Malaysian sports succeed in the Olympic arena. Therefore, the goal of becoming a SEA Games champion should not be the main focus of Malaysian sports.
"We have to understand that after the success at Kuala Lumpur 2017, Malaysian sports can only finish fifth or sixth at the next SEA Games. So can that be called a success?
Success must be a continuous chain, maintaining position at SEA Games is necessary, but need to look to Asia with hope of success at Olympics.
"If you keep thinking about the goal of winning the "village pond" championship, I think that is the wrong move," Mr. Tan Sri Norza Zakaria shared in the Straits Times.
The Malaysian sports industry also said it had received consensus from countries in the region, such as Thailand (host of the 33rd SEA Games in 2025) and Singapore (host of the 35th SEA Games in 2029).
Malaysia will prioritize Olympic sports at the 34th SEA Games in 2027 - Photo: ARUN SANKAR
Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh also confirmed to the media that Olympic sports will be the top consideration when choosing the program for the 2027 SEA Games.
With this goal in mind, the Malaysian sports industry will soon begin preparations for the 34th SEA Games. This includes plans to support domestic athletes for the 33rd SEA Games later this year.
“The National Sports Council’s programmes in collaboration with relevant stakeholders are not only aimed at preparing athletes for the 2025 SEA Games but also supporting preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 Asian Games and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” said Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sea-games-2027-quyet-ru-bo-hinh-anh-ao-lang-tap-trung-cho-muc-tieu-olympic-20250425005110128.htm
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