ASEAN Cycling Federation Challenges Malaysia's 2027 SEA Games Program
The article is about the ASEAN Cycling Federation challenging Malaysia's proposed cycling program for the 2027 SEA Games. Key points: Malaysia allocated 23 gold medals across four disciplines, but ASEAN nations are dissatisfied (especially
Thai Cycling Federation President Pol. Gen. Decha Hemkrasri disclosed that Malaysia has allocated 23 cycling gold medals for the 2027 SEA Games, but ASEAN nations oppose the decision and are preparing a joint meeting to push for additional events.
Pol. Gen. Decha, president of the Thai Cycling Association, stated that at the SEAGF Executive Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur on October 30, which considered events for the 34th SEA Games to be hosted by Malaysia from September 18-29, 2027, the host included cycling with 23 gold medals across all four disciplines.
Pol. Gen. Decha explained the 23 gold medals comprise: Road cycling with 6 golds (men's criterium, men's team time trial, men's individual road race, men's team road race, women's individual road race, women's team road race); BMX Racing with 2 golds (men's and women's individual time trial); Mountain Bike with 2 golds (men's eliminator and mixed team cross-country relay); and Track cycling with 13 golds (men's and women's team pursuit, men's team sprint, men's and women's keirin, men's and women's sprint, men's and women's scratch race, men's and women's time trial, men's and women's points race).
"Immediately after the announcement of the 34th SEA Games event selection, ASEAN Cycling Federation members expressed strong dissatisfaction with the allocation, particularly BMX Racing offering only time trial events, while Mountain Bike has only two golds — men's eliminator and mixed cross-country team relay — with no downhill or Olympic cross-country events," Pol. Gen. Decha said.
He added that as ASEAN Cycling Federation President, he will urgently convene an Executive Committee meeting with ASEAN member nations as soon as possible to jointly pressure the 34th SEA Games Organizing Committee to consider adding key events that match standards of major competitions like the Asian Games and Olympic Games, so the SEA Games truly serves as a platform for developing Southeast Asian cycling standards. The meeting is expected within the next week due to the urgency.
"Normally, pushing for event inclusion in the SEA Games is done by each ASEAN nation's national sports federation through their National Olympic Committee. In this case, the ASEAN Cycling Federation Executive Committee meeting aims to create unity among member nations in formulating joint demands. Simultaneously, beyond pushing through each country's NOC, the ASEAN Cycling Federation will coordinate and push directly to the Games Organizing Committee to request adding internationally standardized events through another channel," Pol. Gen. Decha concluded.
