Indonesia protests sport exclusions from Malaysia's 2027 SEA Games
Rowing, climbing and beach volleyball are absent from the programme, along with men's and women's badminton team events.
Indonesian sports officials have objected to exclusions from Malaysia's 2027 SEA Games programme, which will feature 473 events across 43 sports following a Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) executive committee decision on 30 October 2026.
The programme has 100 fewer events than the 573 contested across about 50 sports at the 2025 Games in Thailand. Rowing, climbing and beach volleyball will not feature, while badminton's men's and women's team competitions have also been removed.
Indonesia's rowing association, PB PODSI, said rowing had been included in an agreement covering the 2025, 2027 and 2029 editions at a SEAGF meeting on 31 May 2024. It said the agreement involved the Olympic committees of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The association has asked Indonesia's Ministry of Youth and Sports and Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) to lodge formal objections with SEAGF and the Olympic Council of Malaysia.
PB PODSI chairman Basuki Hadimuljono said the exclusion disadvantaged Indonesia and disrupted athlete development. According to detikSport, Indonesia won 25 rowing medals at the 2025 Games, including nine golds. Indonesia also took four climbing golds, won the men's beach volleyball title and earned gold and silver respectively in the men's and women's badminton team events.
KOI chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari said the programme should reflect all participating countries' interests rather than only those of the host. He said Indonesia would continue preparing its athletes. The Games are scheduled for 18–29 September 2027, with competitions in Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Penang and Johor.
