Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 17) – Filipino para-athletes received a boost to their athletic preparations after the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) Board of Governors approved Indonesia’s hosting of the 11th ASEAN Para Games from July 23-30.
The APSF Board of Governors gave the approval during their meeting on Wednesday.
“After careful deliberation and consideration, majority of the Board reached a decision to officially award Indonesia the hosting job following decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to remove Indonesia from its non-compliance list earlier this month,” said Board of Governors chairman H.E. Yi Veasna.
Indonesia was earlier included in WADA’s non-compliance list due to its “non-conformities in implementing an effective testing program,” which barred the country from hosting international sports events.
The regional sports competition will be held in the city of Solo, which also hosted the 2011 edition of the games.
Fourteen sports are included in the 11th ASEAN Para Games: archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, CP football, chess, goalball, judo, powerlifting, table tennis, swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis and sitting volleyball.
Hanoi, Vietnam, the host of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) slated in May, backed out of hosting the ASEAN Para Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Traditionally, the hosts of the SEA Games are also tasked to stage the ASEAN Para Games a month after.
The last ASEAN Para Games were held in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the Philippines placed fifth out of 11 nations with 20 golds, 20 silvers, and 29 bronzes.
Manila was supposed to host the 2020 ASEAN Para Games, but the competition was canceled due to the organizers’ budget constraints and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
