The Cambodian organising committee of the 2023 SEA Games is determined to use the term “Kun Khmer” to replace “Muay” in the boxing competitions during the games in May, despite a boycott threat by Thailand, according to the Phnom Penh Post report on Tuesday.
The report said that Cambodia decided to use the term “Kun Khmer” to reflect Cambodian national identity and will not drop the term because Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia have agreed to send their athletes to compete, which is more than the four nations required to hold the event.
Dr. Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA), told Thai PBS that Thailand will not, however, participate in the Kun Khmer competitions, pointing out that, at previous SEA Games, the boxing event used the term “Muay”.
He also said that, since the Cambodian organising committee of the 2023 SEA Games did not allow the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) or the Amateur Muaythai Association to get involved in organising the boxing event, the Kun Khmer competitions are not approved by these international sports federations.
He said that the IFMA has already notified countries that participation in Kun Khmer competitions may result in them being banned from participation in the World Games, Asian Indoor Games and the Martial Arts Games.
Dr. Sakchye said that Cambodia had initially agreed to use the term “Muay” in parentheses after “Kun Khmer”, as proposed by the Olympic Council of Asia and the International Olympic Committee, but it later changed its mind and agreed to drop the term “Muay” entirely.
Cambodia claims that Kun Khmer resembles Muay Thai to a certain extent, but unlike Muay Thai, which suggests kick-boxing, Kun Khmer is, culturally, a Cambodian martial art.
