Singapore teams’ food-shortage issues at SEA Games resolved
Singapore squads affected by limited food options and quantity at the SEA Games in the Philippines said yesterday that the issue had largely been resolved.
The Republic's chef de mission Juliana Seow had written to the Philippines SEA Games Organising Committee on Sunday, seeking "urgent and immediate attention" to a variety of issues, from accreditation to transport and food.
She highlighted in the correspondence that the men's football team, the majority of whom are Muslim, did not have sufficient variety and quantity of halal food options. The others affected were the floorball and netball squads.
All those teams are already in the Philippines, as their competitions begin before Saturday's opening ceremony.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Seow's letter as saying: "Nutrition is a very important part of the preparation and our athletes are starving."
Samuel Tan, manager of Singapore's Under-22 football team, told The New Paper yesterday that there was a shortage of quantity and variety of food when the team arrived at Century Park Hotel in Manila last Saturday afternoon.
But the issue has been resolved as of yesterday morning.
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Said Tan: "It all started when we checked in on Saturday afternoon. During lunch, the quantity and variety were really very limited.
"We immediately highlighted this to the hotel and caterer... It has been resolved as of today. The meals today were much improved, more variety and definitely sufficient quantity."
Men's floorball team manager Arif Azfar said his athletes faced similar issues at their Luxent Hotel base over the weekend.
He said: "While it may still not be ideal, improvements and efforts on the part of the hotel can be seen and we hope that it will continue to get better as the Games progress."
The men's and women's floorball teams as well as Fandi Ahmad's Young Lions kick off their SEA Games campaigns today.
The Republic's netball team began their Games with an 80-28 win over the Philippines yesterday.
Captain Charmaine Soh told The Straits Times that their food concerns at the Somerset Alabang Hotel were sorted out "almost immediately" after they informed the Singapore National Olympic Council.
Teams from other nations, including Thailand's football squad and the Philippines' women's football squad, have also complained about food issues. - DILENJIT SINGH AND NARENDAREN KARNAGERAN
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