THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

A matter of taking unfair advantage

A matter of taking unfair advantage

Bangkok, Thailand (The Nation/ANN) - Malaysia, hosting the SEA Games this month, has undermined Thai prowess in sepak takraw.

With the 29th Southeast Asian Games drawing near, a lot of local sport fans are angry that, at the request of the hosts Malaysia, Thailand’s reigning-champions sepak takraw squad will not compete in the men’s single-team event, which is considered the topmost competition in this sport.
It was reported that, while the hosts get the privilege of participating in all five events at the 2017 SEA Games to be held in Kuala Lumpur from August 19 to 30, other participating countries are allowed to compete in no more than three. Bowing to this unfair rule, the Takraw Association of Thailand will field athletes in only three events – multiple-team, duo and quartet.
Thailand’s sepak takraw squad has dominated the sport at international competitions in recent years, including the previous SEA Games held in Singapore two years ago, winning five of the 10 gold medals up for grabs. With arch-rivals Thailand opting out, Malaysia have a very good chance of winning the gold medal in this event. But Malaysia’s state-run news agency Bernama recently reported that, without Thailand competing, it would be “a hollow win” for Malaysia.
The controversy highlights a problem stemming from a shameful, long-running practice that has put the host country at an advantage over other competing nations, particularly at the region’s biennial multiple-sport event.
In the past there were allegations that host countries often took advantage of their status to unfairly boost their medal tally. For more-advanced sporting countries in the region – Thailand included – the main goal was to top the overall gold-medal tally, the greatest source of pride for any host country. 
Less-advanced sporting countries would attempt to take the advantage of hosting to win as much gold as possible. 
And they often succeeded.
The host country in fact already has a considerable advantage over other participants. They are guaranteed cheers from the home crowd and can set the competition schedules to their advantage. Also, athletes from the host country have a better chance of being favoured by judges who are often well pampered by the hosts and prone to pressure from the home-team supporters.
Those advantages seem to be insufficient for many people when they play host to international sporting events like the SEA Games. They often add more gold medals to sporting events in which their athletes excel and reduce the number in events where their rivals fare better. Also, they establish new rules to make sure their main rivals are left at a disadvantage. The ultimate goal is to be the top overall gold-medal winner.
Some will consider this “achievement” a source of national pride, but they’re merely fooling themselves into believing their teams the best, ignoring the role played by unfair rules.
Those people appear to ignore the true spirit of sportsmanship, which involves fair rules, fair play and fair judgement. 
This is the real beauty of sport. Only in that spirit can a victory be celebrated with genuine pride.
With one host country succeeding in boosting its gold medals at the cost of other participating nations, others will certainly follow suit when it’s their turn to host. 
This practice will only anger and upset the non-hosts and their people. And the vicious cycle will never end unless the true spirit of sportsmanship is honoured.

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