Cambodia withdraws from regional bodybuilding championships amid border tensions
Cambodia pulls out of Southeast Asian and Asian bodybuilding championships in Bangkok due to ongoing border tensions with Thailand despite ceasefire.
Cambodia has officially pulled out of both the 19th Southeast Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships and the 57th Asian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, scheduled to take place from August 21–24 2025 at the Alexander Hotel, Hua Mak, Bangkok.
Sukree Supavareekul, President of the Thailand Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Association, confirmed the withdrawal, citing ongoing instability along the Thai–Cambodian border. Although a ceasefire agreement has been reached, the situation has not fully normalised, preventing Cambodian athletes from participating.
The Southeast Asian championships, organised as a replacement for bodybuilding’s absence from the 33rd SEA Games hosted by Thailand, will be held on 21 August with nine nations competing: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar and Brunei. Thailand is aiming to secure at least eight gold medals.
The Asian championships will follow from August 22–24, with athletes from 28 countries, including world and Asian title holders, expected to compete.
For this event, the Thai association has set a target of 10–12 gold medals.
