By Nick Giongco

Laos organizers yesterday officially dropped basketball from the list of events in next year’s Southeast Asian Games, ignoring the frantic efforts of the RP delegation to have the game played and dealing a blow to the country’s medal campaign.

The Philippines has captured the basketball medal in all SEA Games it competed in and is heavy favorite to repeat in Laos. But with the event scratched, the country will be one ‘‘sure’’ gold medal less in the competition.

Philippine officials reportedly tried to cajole the organizers to reconsider their decision, but to no avail.

Delegation leader Go Teng Kok of track and field and his team will reportedly try one last time today, Wednesday, to get Laos officials to change their decision but hopes are fading.

"Palagay ko wala ng chance," said karate association president Joey Romasanta when asked if he sees a turnaround.

It was Romasanta who relayed the news about the scrapping of basketball after he talked with Go last night.

PSC chairman William "Butch" Ramirez called the Laotian decision "unfortunate."

"Sayang naman with all the efforts of our baskeball leaders," he said." "They’ve been preparing both our men’s and women’s teams, it’s really unfortunate."

"Ito ‘yung isang hindi maganda sa SEA Games, the host country has the option to select sports where they are strong. Nawawala ‘yung direction for Olympic sports.

However, we can’t blame the country, because it’s the rule."

It was not all bad for the delegation, however.

Archery, cycling, weightlifting were approved for inclusion but dragon boat was also scrapped.

Dragon boat athletes won three silvers and one bronze in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and six gold medals in 2005.

The Philippines had hoped that Laos’ neighbor, Thailand, would continue to bat for basketball's inclusion since it had earlier expressed its desire to stage the games in a city near the Thai-Laotian border.

But Laos officials turned down the offer.

Laos, which is making its debut as SEAG host, has drastically cut number of sports events to be played owing to lack of facilities.

It had earlier announced that its basketball court does not meet international standards.

Basketball was not played when the country hosted the 2005 SEAG but made its comeback two years ago in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, with the Philippines winning the crown.

Athletics, aquatics, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, football, golf, judo, karate, sepak takraw, shooting, table-tennis, lawn tennis, taekwondo, Muay, petanque, pencak silat, fin swimming, shuttle****, volleyball, wrestling, wushu were the first batch of sports to be approved by the host country.

http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20081112140643.html