Hosting an international event, especially at an Olympic-style level has become a moment for countries to shine and show their best.
Countries pour in a lot of money and would organize the game in such a way that there are no teething problems as the games approach.
However, as the South East Asian Games 2019 approaches, there has been a lot of complaints from people, athletes, and delegates over the poor organization of the games, incomplete facilities, and accommodation being lacking. Here are the 5 problems that SEA games have faced.
1. Players Stranded At Airport
https://www.facebook.com/ASEANFootballNews/posts/1009085476106191
Football teams from Myanmar, Cambodia and Timor Leste were thrown into limbo when their accommodation and transport were not ready. According to ASEAN Football News, Facebook’s page, The Timor-Leste football team arrived at the airport at 5 a.m. and must wait 2.30 hours for the bus. When the bus arrived, it instead took them to the wrong hotel.
The Philippine hosting of the #SEAGames2019 has steamed people in social media this weekend after the transportation and hotel accommodation arrangement of Century Park Hotel Manila with several foreign teams turned into a mess. #SEAGamesfailhttps://t.co/IAyIajnb4H
— Vuuzle.TV Philippines (@VuuzleTVPh) November 25, 2019
In yet another fiasco, the Cambodia football team found out when they arrive at their hotel, their rooms weren’t ready. They were forced to sleep on the floor and had to miss their training, as it was far from their hotel and was hampered by traffic.
2. Lack of Halal Food
Muslim athletes were reportedly served pork. This is despite reminders from the participants and offers by the National Commission for Filipino Muslims (NCFM) to give support to provide halal food for Muslim athletes. However the organizers, PHISGOC did not listen to their offer.
Indonesian media reported that their athletes accidentally ate pork, as halal and nonhalal food were not separated.
3. Facilities Incomplete
#SEAGames2019 Media Centre at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium as posted by the Thai media. This is unacceptable! 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🇵🇭 #2019SEAGames #SEAGamesfail pic.twitter.com/LACIdxyMKW
— TwoCityTrails🏐 (@TwoCityTrails) November 25, 2019
Right. At. This Moment. The buildings are not finished. .The Rizal Memorial Stadium, where the main events will take place is still under renovation. The rush to complete the facilities has caused several injuries to workers working on them. A construction worker who fractured his skull said that he had to work 24 hours straight to finish it in time.
To add insult to injury, the media room at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium was bare and unfinished, with floor being concrete and the walls unpainted.
This is not a polling place for village heads but this is a media center room for 2019 Sea Games in Manila, Philippines. Really worrying 🙃 #SEAGamesfail pic.twitter.com/xUkqYYgkvr
— Vedrāns Lundkvists (@RBlyskye7) November 26, 2019
4. Meals Incomplete, Lacking
Gordon Ramsay is shaking 😩👊 #WeEatAsOne#SEAGames2019 #SEAGamesfail pic.twitter.com/NBELV50Yiz
— Malacañang Events and Catering Services (@MalacananEvents) November 25, 2019
The food has not been spared of the chaos. The Filipino team has said that the meals are of lacking in quantity and lacked the nutrients for the athletes to compete. One of the foods that they were served is “kikiam” a Filipino snack street food.
The Thai football team has complained that the meals they were served were “the same” with limited drinking water.
In a rough English translation of FA Thailand’s Facebok post, the group said “The 30th SEA Games in the Philippines has found the latest daily issue. The food problem in each meal is usually the same menu, over and over, and drinking water is LIMITED.”
📸 FA Thailand FB Page pic.twitter.com/GZzJwm1jC5
— TwoCityTrails🏐 (@TwoCityTrails) November 24, 2019
5. The Branding
The branding of the SEA Games 2019 has been criticized as a plain, lazy work by Filipino netizens. The logo, with just circles forming the Philippines, was officially selected as the logo. Obviously, the choice caused a widespread backlash among Filipino netizens, with many of them putting their own design.
So here’s my take on the 30th SEA Games’ logo. I call it, “The Vinta’s Flame.” This logo draws inspiration from two things; a vinta, a traditional Filipino boat from Mindanao; and the SEA Games Flame/Cauldron which is lit the entire duration of the games. #SEAGames2019 pic.twitter.com/Dkr1YyeMbj
— EL / Luis Miguel (@elsplanet) August 21, 2018
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1988923427825186&set=a.231697006881179&type=3&theater
The last three SEA Games logos vs. the proposed one for next year.
We didn’t even look like we tried. 😰 pic.twitter.com/s9W5a2YQXn
— Paco 🏳️🌈🎄 (@PacoBell___) August 20, 2018
Many have criticized the mascot as childish and said it was inferior and less representative of previous Sea Games mascot.
PAMI — Philippines' Absurd Mascot Impression.
Pretty Awful Mascot, Indeed.
I'm no artist, but I know how to gauge if something simple to represent the SEA Games which our country is hosting is either well-thought of or just an after-thought.
Wala kasi makukurakot diyan. pic.twitter.com/NT8i7UHLKB
— RED('s)_k'Nightingale (@arpeeRN_PH) November 19, 2019
Amidst all the mess that is the sea games, I just wanted to express my discontent with this stupid mascot I hate it so much oh my god #SeaGame2019 #artph #artistsontwitter #SEAGamesfail pic.twitter.com/kPBZgzlTQD
— 🐝Krispy Scheme🤡 @ Joker 🤡 Lockdown (@KrispyScheme) November 25, 2019
Well, we can only hope that the games go smoothly!
Header Image: Malay Mail | MSN
