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Still no go for basketball in 2009 SEA Games


MANILA, Philippines – The inclusion of basketball in the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos remains uncertain as the hosts would not commit on the earlier request of the Philippines to help them in organizing the tournament. Laos has no basketball arena that has wooden flooring forcing the 2009 SEA Games organizing committee to scrap basketball in the line-up of sporting events for the 25th edition of the biennial games. Laos said they can only hold an estimated 25 sporting events during the eight-day, 11-country tournament. The Philippines, along with Thailand, has volunteered to help Laos in organizing basketball for next year’s SEA Games. The Philippines is also willing to donate a wooden floor to be use for the construction of a basketball court while Thailand has agreed to shoulder the operating expenses. The Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP), through its president and known sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan, event suggested to the Laos SEA Games organizing committee that Philippines would host the basketball event, which was also rejected by the host nation. This is the first time Laos is hosting the biennial regional games and they want all games to be held in their own turf. Aside from basketball, dragon boat racing and rowing are also scrapped from the list of events after the Laos SEA Games organizing committee said they would also encounter problems with the playing venue. The 2009 SEA Games will be held in December and the water level in Laos is low at that the time of the year that would cause problems for organizers to hold dragon boat racing and rowing. Archery, cycling and weightlifting would take the place of basketball, dragon boat racing and rowing. – GMANews.TV

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