SEA Games

Vietnamese athletes take part in the Hà Nội leg of the 32nd SEA Games torch relay which has helped popularise the regional sport meet. The SEA Games and ParaGames will be free-of-charge for all in terms of competitions and ceremony entries and TV broadcasting rights. Photo courtesy of CAMSOC

HÀ NỘI — The Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) has confirmed it will provide broadcasting rights free to either local or international TV networks for the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games.

After a plenary meeting at the Council of Ministers, CAMSOC released a notice confirming the decision on March 31. The cabinet meeting was under the presidency of Prime Minister Samdech Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

"There are no fees to exclusive broadcasting rights to cover the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games, neither domestically nor internationally," said the notice.

Also, the notice announced that all members of the public and international guests will receive free entry to all events at these two events including the opening and closing ceremonies as well as all competitions.

“Admission to the opening and closing ceremonies and all sporting events at the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games will be free of charge, with no ticket sales for domestic or international guests,” it said.

“We have spent money on special technology for the ceremony, and have also invested millions of dollars in infrastructure to host these games,” Prime Minister Hun Sen was quoted as saying in The Phnom Penh Post.

“I absolutely have not agreed to permit ticket sales for the opening and closing of the games, nor any of the competitions,” he added.

Morodok Techo National Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies and other sporting events during the 32nd SEA Games. Photo stadiumdb.com

Earlier, CAMSOC planned to sell the broadcasting rights to help the hosts recover some of the organising costs of the competition.

Việt Nam's VTVcab has been one of the first TV stations holding the broadcast rights for regional sport meets.

In the last few days, tickets for the opening ceremony were sold for as much as 200,000 riel (US$50) each.

“Our people will be able to attend the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies and all of the sporting contests without having to pay any money. Anyone who defies this instruction will be accountable to me, and before the law,” Hun Sen warned.

Hun Sen said the Kingdom’s efforts to make the games a success would not be spoiled by something like ticket sales.

Cambodia will host the SEA Games for the first time in 64 years from May 5 to 17. Some sports' competitions will be kicked off days earlier. Football draws will be conducted on May 4.

The Morodok Techo National Stadium in a northern suburb of the capital Phnom Penh will be the centrepiece venue for official opening and closing ceremonies, and tournaments.

The Games will see athletes competing in 37 sports of more than 600 disciplines, according to CAMSOC.

The Para Games is planned from June 3 to 9. VNS