2017 ASEAN Para Games

9th ASEAN Para Games
Host city Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Motto Rising Together
(Malay: Bangkit Bersama)
Nations participating 11
Events 387 in 17 sports
Opening ceremony 17 September 2017
Closing ceremony 23 September 2017
Website 2017 ASEAN Para Games
<  2015

The 2017 ASEAN Para Games, officially known as the 9th ASEAN Para Games, is an upcoming biannual regional multi-sport event scheduled to be held after the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 17 September 2017 to 23 September 2017 with 387 events in 17 sports and disciplines featured in the games. This will be the sixth time Malaysia host the Southeast Asian Games, but its third time as host of the ASEAN Para Games.

The 2017 ASEAN Para Games is the ninth edition of the ASEAN Para Games since its inception in 2001 and is the seventh edition of the games to follow the tradition that the host venue of the Southeast Asian Games is also the host of the ASEAN Para Games, a tradition broken when 2009 ASEAN Para Games was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia instead of Vientiane, Laos and when 2011 ASEAN Para Games was held in Surakarta instead of Jakarta. Malaysia is the first nation to host the ASEAN Para Games before Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and Singapore and is hosting the games for the first time since 2009.

Organisation

Host city

The 9th ASEAN Para Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A map of Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur
Location of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Previously, on July 2012, the SEAGF meeting in Myanmar confirmed that Malaysia would host the regional biennial event in 2017, should there be no other country willing to bid for the host job. Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary general Sieh Kok Chi, who attended the meeting, said that Myanmar would host the Games in 2013, followed by Singapore in 2015. Then it should be Brunei's turn but it wanted to host the 2019 Games instead of the 2017 edition. Malaysia is willing to be the host for the 2017 Games. This means the hosting rights of the ASEAN Para Games automatically goes to Malaysia, which will host the games two weeks after the end of the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.

On 12 May 2016, a meeting was held between Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) to discuss on the possibilities of organising the 2017 Southeast Asian Games and the 2017 ASEAN Para Games simultaneously and the merger of the two games.[1] The same topic was also discussed at the Asean Para Sports Federation Board of Governors meeting on 7 June 2016. By 14 July, the proposal have been rejected by SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) Council, with 9 member countries have opposed the proposal while only two (Malaysia and Laos) agreed, citing the reason for the rejection was due to the tradition and culture that has long been maintained by SEAGF.[2] Hence, the date of the 2017 ASEAN Para Games was set from 17 September 2017 to 23 September 2017.

Development and preparation

The Malaysia SEA Games Organising Committee (MASOC) is the governing body for the 2017 ASEAN Para Games. It was formed in 2015 to oversee the staging of the event.

Venues

The Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the main venue for 2017 SEA Games.

The 2017 ASEAN Para Games will be organised across several states in Malaysia.[3][4] All the existing venues in Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex will be upgraded while a new velodrome will be built in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan to host track cycling events.[5] Initially, Sabah and Sarawak was considered a number of events contested.[3] However, the Chief Executive Officer of 2017 SEA Games, Zolkples Embong has decide not to involving the East Malaysian states citing "a higher cost" as a main reason for not involving.[6]

More than RM1.6 billion has been allocated by the host country to turn the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, and its surrounding areas into a Sports City.[7] The first phase of the work will get the Bukit Jalil National Stadium ready to host the 2017 ASEAN Para Games.[8]

Volunteers

The organisers estimated that about 20,000 volunteers are needed to successfully host the games. Volunteer recruitment began on 14 November 2015, the same date as the launch party of the games logo, theme and mascot.[9] In less than 48 hours, more than 20,000 have signed up as volunteers who will be shortlisted for a variety of duties, ranging from scorekeeping, crowd control, ticketing, promotions and many more.[10]

Countdown

During the closing ceremony of the 2015 ASEAN Para Games, the ASEAN Para Sports Federation Flag was formally handed over to Malaysia from Singapore. This was followed by a song and dance section highlighting Malaysia as the next venue. On 14 November 2015, a launch party was held at the Suria KLCC to launch the logo, mascot and the volunteer recruitment programme.

On 19 August 2016, a series of festivities, dubbed the "Wau Factor" were held at the National Sports Council Centre in Setiawangsa, to mark the one year countdown to the games.[11]

Marketing

Logo and mascot

Rimau, the Malayan tiger, the official mascot.

Similar to the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, "Rising Together" is the theme of the 2017 ASEAN Para Games. It was chosen to signify Southeast Asia as a community and a region that has come a long way in making its mark on the global stage and to urge its people that it is time to come together to write the next chapter in collective journey of peace, progress, and prosperity. It also signifies that with Kuala Lumpur 2017 ASEAN Para Games being the first ASEAN Para Games after the formation of the ASEAN Community, sports will play a big role in bringing all the citizens of Southeast Asia together in celebrating Malaysians achievements and commitment towards sportsmanship, as well as uplifting and inspiring the entire region.[12] The logo of the 2017 ASEAN Para Games is an image of a Wau Bulan, a crescent-shaped kite traditionally popular in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.[12] The combination of stripes and colours were collated from the flags of all the Southeast Asian countries to create the Kuala Lumpur 2017 identity. It was selected after a nationwide logo competition which saw 174 entries submitted for consideration. The Wau is described as graceful, beautiful, powerful, rising high above and something that could uniquely represent the transcendent power of sports.[13]

Similar to the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, the official mascot of the 2017 ASEAN Para Games is an anthropomorphic Malayan tiger named Rimau. It was unveiled on 14 November 2015, together with the games' logo and theme. The name is an abbreviation of the games' core values, namely: Respect, Integrity, Move, Attitude and Unity. He is described as a gracious, friendly, competitive and athletic athlete.[14]

The games

Participating nations

Notes:
  1. ^ Timor-Leste is currently suspended by the International Paralympic Committee and will only be allowed to participate if the suspension is lifted in time for the games.[15]

Sports

The following 17 Para Sports have been included in and proposed for the games.[16][17]

  • Archery
  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Boccia
  • Chess
  • Cycling
  • Football 7-a-side
  • Football 5-a-side
  • Goalball
  • Powerlifting
  • Sailing
  • Shooting
  • Swimming
  • Table Tennis
  • Ten-pin bowling
  • Wheelchair basketball
  • Sitting volleyball

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minister chairs OCM-PCM meeting on Games Merger". Official Website.
  2. ↑ "SEAGF stands with decision to reject Malaysia's proposal". Bernama. The Sun. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 Ruben Sario (7 September 2013). "Khairy proposes Sabah, Sarawak for SEA games". The Star. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "South East Asian NOCs in Singapore for the 28th SEA Games" (Press release). Singapore: Singapore National Olympic Council. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "KL to be main venue for 2017 SEA Games". Free Malaysia Today. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Sabah, Sarawak may not host 2017 SEA Games". The Malaysian Insider. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Shah, Mohd Farhan (3 June 2015). "RM1bil allocated to build Sports City". The Star Online. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  8. ↑ "MRCB wins bid to regenerate Bukit Jalil sports complex". New Straits Times Online. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "20,000 volunteers needed for 2017 SEA Games". The Star Online. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "More than 20,000 have signed up as volunteers in less than 48 hours". Official Website. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "Wau Factor Celebrates A Year To Go To Sea Games 2017". Official website.
  12. 1 2 "Launching of the Logo, Mascot, Theme and Volunteer Programme of the Kuala Lumpur 29th SEA Games 2017". Official Website. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  13. ↑ "Rising together, Rimau to drive KL Sea Games". New Straits Times Online. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "About - Official Website". Official Website. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  15. ↑ "Timor Leste excluded from 8th ASEAN Para Games". Channel NewsAsia. MediaCorp News Group. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  16. ↑ "Malaysia may merge 2017 SEA and ASEAN Para Games".
  17. ↑ "Merging of KL SEA Games with Asean Para Games on the cards".

External links

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