The Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Federation decided on Thursday, July 8, to postpone Vietnam’s hosting of the 2021 meet to the following year.

According to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, it was a unanimous decision made by the federation composed of 11 Southeast Asian countries.

“The whole federation decided that the 31st SEA Games will not be this year,” announced Tolentino in an online press conference on Thursday.

“Hindi maka-decide ang Vietnam kaya tinulungan namin. Huwag na lang this year. It’s a unanimous decision to hold it next year.”

(Vietnam couldn’t decided, so we helped them by saying that it’s better not to hold it this year. It’s a unanimous decision to hold it next year.)

The SEA Games was originally scheduled from November 21 to December 2 in Hanoi.

Tolentino relayed to Philippine media that Vietnam is given 10 days to decide on a final date to stage the regional biennial meet.

The SEA Games, though, would have to squeeze into the packed 2022 sports schedule, which includes the Winter Olympics in Beijing from February 4 to 20, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games from March 10 to 20 in Bangkok and Chonburi in Thailand, and the Asian Games from September 10 to 25 in Hangzhou, China.

A total of 626 Filipino athletes are set to compete across 39 events in the biennial event.

The country is aiming to defend the overall championship title, which it clinched after 14 years during its hosting of the 2019 SEA Games. – Rappler.com