The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games (SEAG), are biennial multi-sport events attended by participants from the current 11 countries in Southeast Asia. These games are regulated by the Southeast Asian Games Federation and overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The Southeast Asian Games is one of the five subregional games of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Others are the Central Asian Games, the East Asian Youth Games, the South Asian Games and the West Asian Games.
The 2023 Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The announcement was made by Cambodian National Olympic Committee Chairman Thong Khon at the SEA Games Confederation meeting in Singapore for the 2015 SEA Games.
The Secretary General of the Organizing Committee for the Southeast Asian Games (CAMSOC), Va Zhongliang, pointed out after a meeting of the Southeast Asian Sports Council with relevant personnel in Siem Reap Province that the most important result is that all countries agree and encourage Cambodia, which is ready and has joined enough sports.
2023 Southeast Asian Games Secretary-General Wa Zhongliang
Wa Zhongliang said that this means that all countries support and are happy to Cambodia’s participation in these sports, including sports that represent countries.
He said: “We have not seen any objection or dissatisfaction with our arrangement, all countries support Cambodia's preparations for hosting the first SEA Games. In addition, countries are also happy to see that Cambodia can successfully host the first sports event, and also Follow the principles of the existing SEA Games statutes.”
According to Wa Zhongliang, a small number of countries have asked to join other sports, but Cambodia does not have this sport, so Cambodia can only do its best.
For all the sports that Cambodia has decided to join, no country has objected. This is the spirit of friendship and unity among Southeast Asian countries and member countries of the Southeast Asian Games.