Exploring Exciting Changes at SEA Games 32

The Southeast Asian Games 2023, also known as SEA Games 32, is set to unfold its sporting extravaganza in the vibrant city of Phnom Penh. Officially scheduled from May 5 to May 17, 2023, Cambodia is gearing up to host this regional mega-event for the first time. The historical context dates back to 1963 when the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games (SEAP) was canceled due to political unrest in Cambodia. SEA Games 32, hosted by Cambodia, will take place across four key locations. The majority of sporting events will unfold in Phnom Penh, featuring the Morodok Techo National Stadium as the focal point. The grand opening is slated for May 5, with the closing ceremony on May 17.

The Olympic Stadium Complex in Chroy Changvar, Sokha Hotel, and Naga World will also serve as key venues for various sports in the capital. Beyond Phnom Penh, Siem Reap will host cycling and marathon events, Kep will organize duathlon, aquathon, and three combined sports, Kampot will be the venue for traditional boat racing, and Preah Sihanouk will host canoeing and jet-skiing competitions.

Participating countries in SEA Games 32 face restrictions on the number of athletes they can field in certain sports such as martial arts, dragon boat racing, and esports, while these limitations do not apply to the host nation. The Philippines, a nation supported by other participating countries aside from the host, has opposed such regulations, alleging it to be a strategy for Cambodia to secure at least a fourth-place finish in the overall medal tally.

The Philippines contested Cambodia's plan, allowing a maximum of two gold medals for an athlete in the apparatus category of SEA Games 32. This was later amended to three after a complaint from the Philippine Gymnastics Association. SEA Games 32 will feature a total of 40 events with over 7,000 athletes competing in the regional tournament.

Organizers on October 18 confirmed that SEA Games 32 will feature 37 sports with 583 events. The previous record was set at the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019 in the Philippines, where 56 sports had 530 events. The list of sports for SEA Games 32 includes: athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, billiards, boxing, bodybuilding, chess, cycling, cricket, dancesport, E-sport, fencing, floorball, football, golf, gymnastics, hoop sepak takraw, jet-skiing, judo, karate, mixed martial arts, obstacle course racing, pencak silat, powerlifting, rowing, sailing, sepak takraw, soft tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, traditional boat race, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wushu, wrestling, and teqball.

This will be the first time this kingdom hosts a regional sports event like SEA Games 32. The Morodok Techo Stadium will host athletics events from May 8-12, and various sports including swimming, diving, table tennis, badminton, tennis, basketball, kickboxing, kun khmer, and sepak takraw throughout the tournament. Men's football matches will take place at the Olympic and Prince stadiums, while the women's football teams will compete at RSN and Army stadiums.

The official logo and slogan for the Southeast Asian Games in 2023 in Cambodia were decided on July 2, 2020, by the organizing committee, SEA Games Cambodia 2023, and officially announced on August 7. A logo design competition for the games was held in 2019, with the final design believed to draw inspiration from two of Cambodia's most significant icons, the Angkor Wat temples and four dragons, representing the 11 ASEAN countries in different colors.

The original slogan for SEA Games Cambodia 2023 was announced as 'Sport Into Peace,' reflecting Cambodia's journey from a conflict-ridden nation to a respected member of the Southeast Asian community. The logo was later modified slightly to also be used for the ASEAN Para Games 2023. The English slogan was revised to 'Sport: Live in Peace.'

A mascot design competition was also organized in 2019 for Cambodian citizens aged 15 and above. The competition called for candidates to submit designs themed around rabbits and reflecting Khmer culture. The deadline for the competition was November 30, 2019. The winning design features two rabbits dressed in traditional Cambodian attire; a female rabbit in red named Rumduol and a male rabbit in blue named Borey. Red and blue are the colors of the Cambodian flag.

The image of Borey, the male rabbit, holding a burning torch in his right hand, and Rumduol, the female rabbit, welcoming guests with cheerful faces, symbolizes the warm hospitality of the Cambodian people welcoming delegates, guests, and athletes to SEA Games 32 in 2023 hosted in Cambodia. The mascot at SEA Games 32 is dressed in the traditional costume of the bokator ethnic group. Bokator is also known as an ancient martial art, recognized by the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts as intangible cultural heritage and later acknowledged by UNESCO as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The Organizing Committee for the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games (CAMSOC-CAMAPGOC) of Cambodia has announced that SEA Games tickets are complimentary for all spectators, and the government has granted the right to broadcast sports information free of charge both domestically and internationally. Cambodia has invested hundreds of millions of US dollars and dedicated several years to organize the upcoming regional sporting event, ensuring no ticket sales profiting from this sports extravaganza, especially during the opening and closing ceremonies as well as various sports competitions.

Sports enthusiasts have various ways to watch SEA Games 2023 in Cambodia. Fans can catch the live matches on television or online. The matches will be broadcasted on multiple channels, including TV5, MyTV, and CTN. Additionally, online streaming of the matches can be accessed on the SEA Games 2023 website or the participating countries' websites. To watch the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), fans can check the schedule of events and find the broadcasting channels in the country airing the matches.

Thailand is reported to have been asked to pay $800,000 for the live broadcast rights of Sea Games 32, the highest amount in the history of Sea Games 32. Televisyen Malaysia is said to have been asked to pay around 18 million RM (equivalent to $4.07 million) for the exclusive broadcast rights of SEA Games and Asean Para Games. So far, only Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam are believed to have agreed to purchase broadcasting rights, although the prices paid by these countries have not been disclosed.

Traditionally, host countries of SEA Games only charge a token fee for the live broadcast rights. In 2019, the fee for SEA Games 30 in the Philippines was $5,000, while in 2021, it was $10,000 for SEA Games 31 in Vietnam. However, on March 31, 2023, Samdech Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, announced no fees for international broadcasting.