SEA Games 2027 will prioritize Olympic sports

Olympic Council of Malaysia President Tan Sri Norza Zakaria has stressed that a 'village mentality' will not help Malaysian sports succeed in the Olympic arena. Therefore, becoming Southeast Asian Games champions should not be the main focus of the country's sports.

The SEA Games will prioritize Olympic sports.

"We have to understand that after the success in Kuala Lumpur 2017, we can only finish fifth or sixth in the next SEA Games. Success has to be continuous, maintaining the position is necessary, but we need to aim at the Asian level with the hope of success at the Olympics in the future. If we continue to think about how to become regional champions, this needs to be taken seriously," President Tan Sri Norza Zakaria told the Straits Times.

Malaysia has been selected to host the 2027 SEA Games and has confirmed its agreement with other host nations to prioritise Olympic sports in future editions. Thailand will host the event this year and Singapore will host in 2029.

While SEA Games hosts tend to prioritize sports that local athletes excel in, Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has confirmed that Olympic sports will be a top consideration when selecting the programme for the 2027 SEA Games. Minister Hannah Yeoh also stated that the appointment of the CEO of the 2027 SEA Games Malaysia Organising Committee Secretariat will be announced soon.

Malaysia will soon start preparations as time is running out. There will be a lot of work to be discussed with the Federations, sports associations as well as relevant agencies.

The prioritization of Olympic sports in the 2027 SEA Games programme may have cost Malaysian athletes an advantage, but it will help their efforts to be more effective and go further. Last month, the Ministry of Youth and Sports announced that the National Sports Council had launched a podium programme to prepare athletes for the 2027 event.

“The implementation of the National Sports Council Podium Programme, in collaboration with key stakeholders, is not only aimed at preparing athletes for the 2025 SEA Games but also supporting preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games,” said Minister Hannah Yeoh.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/sea-games-2027-se-uu-tien-cac-mon-the-thao-olympic-20250423103138977.htm