SEA Games 2025: 'I just hope they are safe', says athlete on Cambodia's exit

Hours after Cambodia’s sudden decision to withdraw its athletes from the SEA Games, Asean’s sporting fraternity was still reeling from the news.

- Melvyn Teoh and David Lee Senior Sports Correspondent

The 10-member Cambodian athlete contingent had been registered to participate in 13 sports at the Dec 9-20 Games, after pulling out of nine sports, including football and volleyball, in November.

Their athletes had attended the opening ceremony in Bangkok on Dec 9, and were slated to compete in swimming, gymnastics and martial arts events, including taekwondo and jujitsu, on Dec 10.

A sports official from one of the delegations told The Straits Times that the athletes had all departed for Cambodia on Dec 10, including National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) secretary-general Vath Chamroeun.

Most of the athletes and officials - including those from hosts Thailand - whom The Straits Times approached declined to comment on Cambodia’s exit, citing the situation’s sensitivity.