NMI East Asian Games bid thumbed down

The CNMI’s bid to take part in the East Asian Games was politely thumbed down last month by organizers of the quadrennial event, citing a 2000 decision that effectively barred the Commonwealth from participating in the Games.

Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael A. White delivered the unfortunate news Thursday night during the group’s monthly meeting at the conference room of the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

White quoted a letter he received from East Asian Games Association president Pang Chung that stated: “According to the discussion and decision in the 35th OCA Executive Board Meeting on 27 August 2000, the East Asian Games are for the East Asia region and only countries from this particular region of Asia are allowed to participate in the Games. No other country outside of the East Asia Region should be invited after the Year 2000 to participate in the East Asian Games as an Associate Member.”

The Oct. 9, 2008 dated letter went on to say that while Guam is an associate member of the group and takes part in the Games, the U.S. territory’s membership predated the 2000 decision.

“The Guam National Olympic Committee joined EAGA before the Year 2000, its Associate Membership status in EAGA remains because of historic reasons,” it said.

NMASA and White sought membership to EAGA after rising travel costs and the sluggish economy hindered the CNMI’s ability to send delegations to the Pacific Games and Micronesian Games.

White then reasoned that the cost of traveling to Hong Kong and other East Asian countries was a lot lower than South Pacific countries, so if the CNMI became a part of the East Asian Games, this would have provided more opportunities for the Commonwealth’s athletes to compete.

Other members of the East Asian Games are China, Japan, North and South Korea, Macau, Mongolia, and Chinese-Taipei.

Kazakhstan used to be a member of EAGA, but since it became a European Olympic Committee member, it does not take part in these Games anymore. Kazakhstan is now a member of Olympic Council of Asia and joins the Central Asian Games.

The East Asian Games like the Olympics and the Asian Games are held every four years. Its inaugural competition was held in 1993 in Shanghai, China with the host claiming the overall championship. Busan, South Korea hosted it in 1997 and Osaka, Japan in 2001.

The 2005 edition of the East Asian Games was held in Macau, while Tianjin, China will host the event in 2013.

Currently, 20 sports are included in the calendar of events in the East Asian Games. The list include athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, bowling, dancesport, dragon boat racing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, judo, karatedo, rowing, shooting, soft tennis, taekwondo, lawn tennis, weightlifting, and wushu.

Soft tennis differs from regular tennis in that it uses soft rubber balls instead of hard yellow balls. It is played primarily in Asia, especially in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the Philippines.