PHNOM PENH, May 5 — With just five days to go before the start of the wushu competition in the 2023 SEA Games, the sanda discipline is at risk of being cancelled due to technical problems at the competition venue — the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre — here.
Wushu Federation of Malaysia president Datuk Chong Kim Fatt said this was because the elevated platform (fighting arena) or leitai for the sanda event has yet to be fixed while the scoring system for the taolu discipline is also affected.
“They (the organisers) are not prepared. There is no scoring system, there is no sanda platform, how can the competition be held when everything is not there?
“I am now trying to solve the problem. Based on the meeting this morning, for taolu they said 60 to 70 per cent can be organised but it is dangerous for sanda, with less than 50 per cent chance as there is no platform,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Chong said this has forced him to seek help from the Vietnam Wushu Federation to lend the sanda platform, to ensure the national exponents will be able to compete in the events.
“So far, wushu will continue to be held but we will have to wait and see how they can overcome the problems,” he said.
Meanwhile, national chef-de-mission Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali, when contacted, said he is aware of the problem and hoped that the athletes will continue to stay focused on the task at hand and not be distracted by the current situation.
The 2023 SEA Games wushu competition from May 10-12 offers 20 gold medals, with 14 up for grabs in taolu and six in sanda.
Malaysia is targeting one gold medal from world champion Wong Weng Son in the taolu discipline.
— Bernama
