Careful sanctions sought for late Asian Games pullouts

Asian Political News, Dec 14, 1998

BANGKOK, Dec. 9 Kyodo

Asian Olympic officials, hoping to avoid confusion caused by last-minute withdrawals at the Bangkok Asian Games, are seeking to implement sanctions toward National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that pull out after the final entry deadline. Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheik Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah expressed regret the withdrawal of many countries from team events wreaked havoc with TV broadcast scheduling and gave unfavorable impressions to sponsors involved in the Asian Games' new marketing program. ''We are very sorry about the withdrawal of NOCs from some of the sports, but there is no article or bylaw in our constitution to act on this case,'' Sheik Ahmad said. ''We will try to (adopt) some rules or bylaw (in our constitution) in the future.'' Some, however, are skeptical about whether punishments should be applied to the NOCs, whose decisions to withdraw are often made by their governments or because they are experiencing financial difficulty. ''We should apply penalties very prudently. We shouldn't take advantage of the constitution to punish the NOCs, but to set them on track. Penalties cannot be taken on board very lightly,'' said A. de O. Sales, chairman of the OCA Rules Committee. Sales admitted the withdrawals caused trouble for the Bangkok Asian Games Organizing Committee (BAGOC) and OCA Sports Committee Chairman Wei Jizhong in terms of arranging redraws or regroupings in addition to dealing with broadcast rights holders and sponsors. But, ''We have to protect the National Olympic Committees. Sometimes, withdrawal decisions are made by their governments. The presence of government in sports in Asia is very strong,'' Sales remarked. Yoon Kang Ro, a South Korean member of the OCA Rules Committee, suggested adding a clause in the council's constitution stipulating that NOCs who pull out after having submitted their entries by name be subject to a cancellation charge. ''We have to protect the NOCs, but we also have to protect the rights of the (Asian Games) organizing committees,'' Yoon said, apparently worried a similar situation may occur in four years when the southern South Korea city of Pusan hosts the next regional version of the summer Olympics. Sheik Ahmad, meanwhile, emphasized that late withdrawals will pose negative effects on the new and currently healthy professional marketing program introduced for the 13th Asian Games. About 10 sponsors as well as TV broadcasting rights holders have paid out a combined 78 million dollars for the Bangkok games, with 4 million dollars -- about 10 times previous amounts -- to be distributed among the National Olympic Committees of Asia. ''We don't like any (NOCs) to withdraw because that works to break up our marketing. (Their actions should) not break up other interests,'' Sheik Ahmad said. Team withdrawals ''make us change the draw, change the TV program, change the air time and this is not good for the professional (marketing) system we are trying to reach. This is the negative points of our marketing program,'' he added. BAGOC Vice Chairman Santiparp Tejavanija, who is also OCA treasurer, has expressed concern that if the Asian NOCs do not keep their commitments to take part in the games, there may be possibilities of lawsuits by sponsors against the event organizers. ''If we had not implemented a marketing program for the Asian Games, it's no problem for the organizing committee to accommodate (the NOCs),'' he said, adding if the Asian Games family wants to keep the sponsorship benefits, it should ''straighten up.'' Among the numerous pullouts in the weeks leading up to the Dec. 6-20 games, the North Korean women's basketball team withdrew days before the opening while Saudi Arabia, set to compete in men's basketball and handball, decided in late November to sit out the games altogether. ''We will take (BAGOC's) opinion and the partners' opinions and we will try to find a solution to add to our constitution, either as a law or bylaw. We have to do it if we want to look for better games in the future,'' Sheik Ahmad said.