BY NICK GIONGCO
Host Vietnam is keeping its hosting of the 2021 Southeast Asian Games almost exclusively to the staging of Olympic and Asian Games sports.
Philippine Olympic Committee President Bambol Tolentino, who participated in an online discussion with 10 other SEAG member nations on Thursday, stressed that 450 gold medals will be up for grabs in 36 sports.
“Vietnam might accept four more sports from proposals of eight countries,” said Tolentino, who has vowed to add arnis and one more where Filipinos have genuine chances of winning.
The figure is not cast in stone just yet as the final number will be calendared before 2020 comes to a close.
The Vietnamese capital of Hanoi will hold the biennial sportsfest in late-November until early-December.
News of Hanoi’s firm decision not to veer away from the main sports should hurt the Philippines’ chances of bidding for the overall crown following its rousing finish in 2019 when it took the No. 1 spot.
The Philippines took a massive 149 gold medals out of 530 in more than 50 sports.
