SEAG Federation to meet anew to decide Hanoi 2021 fate says CDM Fernandez

Philippine SEA Games team CDM Mon Fernandez bared that the SEA Games Federation will meet again on Thursday to discuss the postponement proposal of Hanoi again. Ivan Saldajeno (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The Southeast Asian Games Federation will convene again later this week to ultimately decide whether the 2021 SEA Games will push through before Christmas in Hanoi or not.

"The SEAG Federation will be meeting on the 24th," Philippine team chef de mission Mon Fernandez said during the Banana Kick podcast on Tuesday night.

The COVID-19 situation in Vietnam has put the holding of the SEA Games in jeopardy with cases, although not as dreaded as some other countries, rising at a record pace.

As of Monday, the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is at 378 following the confirmation of 272 more people infected.

One of the top models in handling the pandemic during its early days last year, Vietnam's recovery rate plummeted to 40.3 percent (5,453 out of 13,530 total cases) mainly due to the ongoing spike and the interestingly slow vaccination drive there.

Fernandez, currently a commissioner in the Philippine Sports Commission, admitted that everything is bleak at the moment.

"We'll never know yet. We really just have to wait the decision ng SEAG Federation on the 24th," the PBA legend further said.

Earlier this month, the Vietnam Olympic Committee proposed to the SEAG Federation the postponement of the SEA Games to July next year.

However, eight other national Olympic committees including that of the Philippines rejected the proposal mainly due to the athletes' preparation.

The Thursday meeting, though, could lead to a different decision.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno