Thailand’s hosting of the upcoming 33rd SEA Games has suffered successive setbacks, including Cambodia’s abrupt withdrawal from eight disciplines due to “significant security concerns” amid simmering border tensions.
Still reeling from Wednesday’s decision to relocate all 10 sport events, from flood-hit Songkhla to Bangkok, organisers have been dealt another blow as Cambodia confirmed it is pulling out of eight of the 21 sports in which it had initially planned to compete at the 2025 Games.
“The adjustment was made due to significant security concerns, which pose challenges to ensuring the safety and protection of our athletes and officials,” read a statement from the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) informing the Southeast Asian Games Federation and the 33rd SEA Games organising committee of their withdrawal from football, sepak takraw, pétanque, wrestling, judo, karate, pencak silat and wushu.
The NOCC has, however, confirmed Cambodian participation in the swimming, athletics, e-sports, fencing, gymnastics, ju-jitsu, kickboxing, taekwondo, equestrian, jet skiing, triathlon, teqball and volleyball competitions.
The partial withdrawal came as a surprise, especially considering Cambodia had held a grand send-off ceremony for its 333 athletes and officials at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on Monday.
The move follows months of strained diplomatic relations and border disputes with Thailand. Cambodia’s participation in the Thai-hosted Games had become a heated topic among the Cambodian public, with many advocating a boycott to ensure athlete safety.
Cambodia’s Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hangchuon Naron said he had carefully assessed the current circumstances and decided against a full boycott, which he believed would harm the country’s international standing.
“The decision to participate in the SEA Games is not an easy one,” he said, as quoted by the Khmer Times.
“It requires balancing the issue of border disputes with the spirit of regional unity. We cannot allow a boycott to affect the relationships and opportunities of young people in ASEAN, and we must show the true spirit of sportsmanship,” he noted.
Cambodia’s sudden withdrawal from eight disciplines has immediate consequences, particularly for the football competition, with just over a week remaining before kickoff.
The Cambodian under-22 men’s team is in Group A, with host Thailand and Timor-Leste, whose opening match is scheduled for Dec 3rd. In the women’s event, Cambodia is also in Group A with Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, with the group’s first match on December 4.
The organising committee now needs to coordinate with the ASEAN Football Federation to determine how to proceed in Cambodia’s absence.
Options include keeping the current groups with fewer teams, modifying the format or conducting a complete redraw. The 33rd SEA Games will take place from December 9–20 in Bangkok and Chon Buri, after Songkhla was deemed unfit to host due to the ongoing flood crisis in the province.
