Laos to drop major sports for next 25th SEA Games

THAILAND - The next host for SEA Games in 2009, Laos, has announced that only 25 sports will be held in the upcoming SEA Games

Hosting for their first time, Laos lack the infrastructure and timespan to build facilities thus the drop of many sports such as equestrian, gymnastics, dance sport, cycling, basketball, fencing, softball, chess all water sports and softball

The only sport that will be contested is traditional boat race, wrestling, wushu, karate-do, muay, petanque, sepak takraw, shooting, football/futsal, golf, handball, judo, pencak silat, shuttle cock, snooker and billiards, archery, athletics, badminton, bowling, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, aquatics, boxing and volleyball/beach volleyball

The next date for 25th SEA Games is tentatively set at December 13-21 in Vientiane, Laos. The main area of focus will be at Luangprabang and Champasak

Currently in plan is a $46-million main stadium, $6 million training facility and a new hotel to house an expected figure of 2,500 athletes

With the sudden drop of sports with the announcement by Dr. Phauthong Seng-Akhon, president of the Laos Olympic Committee, Thailand has offered to host and play some games near the Thai-Laotian border so as to accomodate the axed dropped sports