SEA Games
Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Template:Infobox sporting event organization
The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with supervision by the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia.
The SEA Games is one of the five subregional Games of the Olympic Council of Asia, the others being South Asian Games, West Asian Games, East Asian Games, and Central Asian Games.[1]
History
The SEA Games owes its origins to the South East Asian Peninsular Games or SEAP Games (abbreviated as SEAPG). On 22 May 1958, delegates from the countries in Southeast Asian Peninsula attending the Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan had a meeting and agreed to establish a sports organization. The SEAP Games was conceptualized by Luang Sukhum Nayapradit, then vice-president of the Thailand Olympic Committee. The proposed rationale was that a regional sports event will help promote co-operation, understanding, and relations among countries in the Southeast Asian region.
Six countries, Burma (now Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Malaya (now Malaysia), Thailand and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) were the founding members. These countries agreed to hold the Games biennially in June 1959 and the SEAP Games Federation Committee was formed thereafter.[2]
The first SEAP Games were held in Bangkok from 12 to 17 December 1959, with more than 527 athletes and officials from 6 countries; Burma (now Myanmar), Laos, Malaya, Singapore, South Vietnam and Thailand participated in 12 sports.
At the 8th SEAP Games in 1975, while South Vietnam was fallen and no longer existed, the SEAP Federation considered the inclusion of Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These countries were formally admitted in 1977, the same year when SEAP Federation changed their name to the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF), and the games were known as the Southeast Asian Games. The unified Vietnam (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) returned to the games' 15th edition in 1989. East Timor, one year after gaining independence from Indonesia, was admitted at the 22nd SEA Games in 2003.
The 2009 SEA Games was the first time Laos has ever hosted a SEA Games (Laos had previously declined to host the 1965 SEAP Games citing financial difficulties). Running from 9–18 December, it has also commemorated the 50 years of the SEA Games, held in Vientiane, Laos. The 2023 SEA Games, held from 5–17 May, was the first time Cambodia has ever hosted a SEA Games (Cambodia was awarded the 1963 SEAP Games, which was cancelled due to domestic political situation).
Symbol
The Southeast Asian Games symbol was introduced during the 1959 SEAP Games in Bangkok, depicting six rings that represent the six founding members and was used until the 1997 edition in Jakarta. The number of rings increased to 10 during the 1999 edition in Brunei to reflect the inclusion of Singapore, which was admitted into the Southeast Asian Games Federation in 1961, and Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines, which joined the organization in 1977. The number of rings was again increased to 11 during the 2011 Games in Indonesia to reflect the federation's newest member, East Timor, which was admitted in 2003.
Participating NOCs
| Nation | Code | National Olympic Committee | Created | Debuted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Brunei.svg Brunei | BRU | Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council | 1984 | 1977 |
| File:Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia | CAM | National Olympic Committee of Cambodia | 1983 | 1961 |
| File:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia | INA | Indonesian Olympic Committee | 1946 | 1977 |
| File:Flag of Laos.svg Laos | LAO | National Olympic Committee of Laos | 1975 | 1959 |
| File:Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia | MAS | Olympic Council of Malaysia | 1953 | 1959 |
| File:Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar | MYA | Myanmar Olympic Committee | 1947 | 1959 |
| File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines | PHI | Philippine Olympic Committee | 1911 | 1977 |
| File:Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore | SGP | Singapore National Olympic Council | 1947 | 1959 |
| File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand | THA | National Olympic Committee of Thailand | 1948 | 1959 |
| Template:Country data East Timor | TLS | National Olympic Committee of Timor-Leste | 2003 | |
| File:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam | VIE | Vietnam Olympic Committee | 1952 | 1959Template:Efn |
Timelines
| Nation | Code | as SEAP Games | as SEA Games | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | 61 | 63 | 65 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 73 | 75 | 77 | 79 | 81 | 83 | 85 | 87 | 89 | 91 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 99 | 01 | 03 | 05 | 07 | 09 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | |||
| File:Flag of Brunei.svg Brunei | BRU | scope="col" rowspan="12" Template:Vert header | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 26 | ||||||||
| File:Flag of Cambodia.svg CambodiaTemplate:Efn | CAM | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 23 | |||||||||||
| File:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia | INA | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 26 | |||||||||
| File:Flag of Laos.svg LaosTemplate:Efn | LAO | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 26 | ||||||||
| File:Flag of Malaysia.svg MalaysiaTemplate:Efn | MAS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 33 | |
| File:Flag of Myanmar.svg MyanmarTemplate:Efn | MYA | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 33 | |
| File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines | PHI | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 26 | |||||||||
| File:Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore | SGP | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 33 | |
| File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand | THA | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 33 | |
| Template:Country data East Timor | TLS | part of Template:Flagicon Indonesia | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| File:Flag of Vietnam.svg VietnamTemplate:Efn | VIE | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 26 | ||||||||
| Total | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 297 | ||
Editions
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The 1963 SEAP Games were cancelled. As the designated host, Cambodia was unable to host the event due to instability in the country, along with a disagreement with the International Amateur Athletic Federation. The 3rd SEAP Games then passed to Laos as hosts, but they begged off the 1965 event citing financial difficulties.[5] In 2023, Cambodia was finally able to host the sports event for the first time at its newly built sports complex.[6]
Sports
Template:Main article The SEAGF Charter and Rules mandate the minimum number of sports to be staged, with sports falling under numerous categories. Prior to 2023, a host nation must have staged a minimum of 22 sports: the two compulsory sports from Category 1 (athletics and aquatics), in addition to a minimum of 14 sports from Category 2 (Olympic and Asian Games core sports), and a maximum of 8 sports from Category 3. Each sport would not offer more than 5% of the total medal tally, except for athletics, aquatics and shooting (the shot was elevated for this category in 2013). For each sport and event to be included, a minimum of four countries must participate in it. Sports competed in the Olympic Games and Asian Games must be given priority.[2][7]
This charter was modified in 2023, with the first games with this modification in effect will be the 2025 edition.[8] Each edition will have a minimum of 36 sports, composed as follows: the compulsory Category 1 now comprises two subcategories: 1A, which consists of aquatics and athletics, and 1B, a minimum of 10 Olympic sports from the Summer Olympic Games. Under Category 2, the host must include a minimum of 10 other sports from the Olympic Games (summer/winter), Asian Games, and Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games or Beach Games. Category 3 is now capped at a maximum of four sports.[9][10]
| Category 1 | Category 2 | Category 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | 1B | Olympic sports | Asian Games / AIMAG / ABG sports | TraditionalTemplate:Efn | Other or ABG SportsTemplate:Efn |
| Athletics | Archery 1977–1997, 2001–2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Billiards and snooker Since 1987Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Arnis 1991, 2005, 2019, 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Aquathlon since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
| Diving Since 1965Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Badminton | Bowling 1977–1979, 1983–2001, 2005–2007, 2011, 2015–2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Bokator 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Baseball5[11] 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
| Artistic swimming 2001, 2011, 2015–2017, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Baseball 2005–2007, 2011, 2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Chess 2003–2005, 2011–2013, since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Chinlone 2013Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Bodybuilding 1987–1993, 1997, 2003–2007, 2013, 2021Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
| Swimming | Basketball 1979–2003, 2007, since 2011Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Cricket 2017, 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Muay Thai 2005–2009, 2013, 2019–2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Beach handball 2019–2021Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
| Water polo 1965–2019, since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Boxing | Dancesport 2005–2009, since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Traditional boat race 1993, 1997–1999, 2003–2007, 2011–2015, since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Contract bridge 2011Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
| Canoeing 1985, 1995, 2001, 2005–2007, 2011–2015, 2019–2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Esports Since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Kenpō 2011–2013Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Duathlon Since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||
| Cycling 1959–1979, since 1983Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Finswimming 2003, 2009–2011, 2021-2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Kun Khmer 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Floorball 2015, 2019, since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||
| Equestrian 1983, 1995, 2001, 2005–2007, 2011–2017, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Futsal 2007, 2011–2013, 2017, 2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Vovinam 2011–2013, 2021–2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Lawn bowls 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2017–2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||
| Fencing 2003–2007, 2011, since 2015Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Indoor hockey 2017–2019, since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Obstacle racing 2019, 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Field hockey 1971–1979, 1983, 1987–1989, 1993–2001, 2007, 2013–2017, since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Ju-jitsu Since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Paragliding 2011, 2025 (as demonstration sport)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Football | Kickboxing Since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Pétanque Since 2001Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Golf 1985–1997, 2001, since 2005Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Kurash 2019–2021Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Polo 2007, 2017–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Gymnastics 1979–1981, 1985–1997, 2001–2007, 2011, since 2015Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Netball 2001, 2015–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Shuttle cock 2007–2009Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Handball 2005–2007, 2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Pencak silat 1987–1989, 1993–1997, since 2001Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Soft tennis 2011, 2019, 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Judo 1967–1997, since 2001Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Roller sports 2011Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Waterskiing 1987, 1997, 2011, 2015–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| Karate 1985–1991, 1995–1997, 2001–2013, since 2017Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Rugby union 1969, 1977–1979, 1995, 2007Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
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| Modern pentathlon 2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Sambo 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||||
| Rowing 1989–1991, 1997, 2001–2007, 2011–2015, since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Sepak takraw 1967–1969, since 1973Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||||
| Rugby sevens 2015–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Squash 1991–2001, 2005–2007, 2015–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||||
| Sailing 1961, 1967–1971, 1975–1977, 1983–1997, 2001, 2005–2007, 2011–2019, since 2023Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Wushu 1991–1993, 1997, since 2001Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||||
| Shooting 1959–2021, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Xiangqi Since 2021Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ||||
| Skateboarding 2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
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| Softball 1981–1983, 1989, 2003–2005, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Sport climbing 2011, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Surfing 2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Table tennis | |||||
| Taekwondo Since 1985Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Tennis 1959–2011, since 2015Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Triathlon 2005–2007, since 2015Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Volleyball 1959–1997, since 2001Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Weightlifting 1959–1997, 2001–2013, since 2017Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Wrestling 1987, 1997, 2003–2013, since 2019Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Figure skating 2017–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Ice hockey 2017–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
| Short track speed skating 2017–2019, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||||
All-time medal table
Corrected after balancing the data of the Olympic Council of Asia and other archived sites which had kept the previous Southeast Asian Games medal tables. Some information from the aforementioned sites are missing, incorrect and or not updated.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]
- <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[1] Competed as Malaya in the inaugural games until 1961.
- <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[2] The Republic of Vietnam was dissolved in July 1976 when it merged with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to become the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, also known as Vietnam. In the 1989 edition, a unified Vietnam rejoined the games with a new name and flag. Medals won by South Vietnam until 1975 and by Vietnam after 1989 are combined here.
- <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[3] Competed as Burma until 1987.
- <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[4] Competed as Kampuchea, and Khmer Republic.
List of multiple Southeast Asian Games medalists
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As of 2019, Singaporean swimmer Joscelin Yeo has won the most Southeast Asian Games medals with 55 (40 gold, 12 silver, 3 bronze). She reached this milestone during the 2005 Games, overtaking the previous record of 39 gold medals set by another Singaporean swimmer, Patricia Chan.
Criticism
One unique characteristic of the event is that there are no official limits to the number of sports and events to be contested, and the range can be decided by the organizing host pending approval by the Southeast Asian Games Federation. This has seen as many as 50 to 56 sports for the 2025 and 2019 editions, respectively. Aside from mandatory sports, the host is free to drop or introduce other sports or events (See SEA Games sports).[19] This leeway has resulted in hosts maximizing their medal hauls by dropping sports disadvantageous to themselves relative to their peers and the introduction of obscure sports, often at short notice, thus preventing most other nations from building credible opponents.[20][21][22] Several nations have called for amending the charter of the games to address the issue.[23][24] In 2023, the SEA Games charter was modified in an effort to make the number of sports in each edition more standardized, reducing the host's leeway to remove several sports, maximize medal hauls by introducing obscure local sports, and tamper with the competition's rules.[9][25]
See also
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References
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- ↑ Games page of the website of the Olympic Council of Asia; Template:Webarchive; retrieved 2010-07-09.
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- ↑ SEAP Games FederationTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- ↑ Medal Tally 1959-1995
- ↑ Medal Tally
- ↑ History of the SEA Games
- ↑ SEA Games previous medal table
- ↑ SEA Games membersTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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External links
- Olympic Council of Asia Regional Hosting List
- SEA Games FederationTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Medal Tally 1959–1995 (archived 11 January 1998)
- Medal Tally (archived 11 October 2008)
- History of the SEA Games (archived 17 December 2004)
- SEA Games previous medal table (archived 4 December 2009)
- SEA Games membersTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (archived 7 December 2001)
- REDIRECT Template:SEA Games
Template:Nations at the Southeast Asian Games Template:Sports at the Southeast Asian Games Template:Southeast Asian Championships Template:EventsOCA Template:International multi-sport events