Thailand SEA Games 2025: Pursuit of Achievement or Regeneration?

The organization of the SEA Games in Thailand 2025 is just a month away on Sunday (9/11/2025). However, with little time remaining, Indonesia has not yet determined the composition of the athletes who will be part of the contingent. This uncertainty indicates that the main objectives of participation and the priority scale for each event still remain unclear.

The process of determining the Indonesian contingent for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand has yet to be completed. After the Ministry of Youth and Sports, through the review team, assessed 52 sports disciplines, there are still stages of analysis and a series of meetings to be held. The Deputy for Sports Achievement Improvement at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Surono, estimates that the plenary meeting to determine the contingent will only take place next week.

The main problem with the ongoing process of determining the contingent is the calculations regarding medal potential, which are considered to have not yet met the target. Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir stated that Indonesia aims to finish at least in third place in the medal standings at the SEA Games Thailand 2025.

If we can achieve just 13.80 percent, that is equivalent to 80 gold medals. Therefore, if we focus on just two medals, God willing, we can still maintain our position in third place.

However, Erick seemed unwilling to have the target set unilaterally by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. According to Erick, the target must be mutually agreed upon by the sports branches. "We want this target to remain, so we can at least reach the top 3 ranking again," Erick said at a press conference on October 16, 2025.

"However, in today's reality, it is not (possible). This means we must work together to arrange our targets to be as transparent as possible," he stated.

At the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, Indonesia finished third with 87 gold medals. However, Indonesia lost a potential 41 gold medals from sports and events not previously contested in Thailand, such as fin swimming, kung fu, vovinam, soft tennis, and judo. However, Indonesia gained a potential 32 additional gold medals from sports and events not previously contested in Cambodia, such as archery.

To achieve third place, Surono stated, Indonesia must secure between 13.84 percent and 15.90 percent of the gold medals from a total of 577 medals contested. This means Indonesia needs more than 79 gold medals, while only 78 potential medals have been recorded so far.

"If we can achieve just 13.80 percent, that is equivalent to 80 gold medals. Therefore, if we focus on just two medals, God willing, we can still maintain our position in third place," said Surono.

The problem is that the results of the screening have the potential to create dynamics within the sports branch, especially in non-measurable sports. Moreover, the sports branches have not yet received a decree that finalizes the list of athletes for the SEA Games.

Badminton is one such example. Surono stated that based on a review comparing the strengths of potential opponents such as Malaysia and Thailand, badminton is urged to field its best squad.

In fact, although there has not yet been an official decree, badminton has announced its list of players consisting of 10 male and 10 female athletes. Most of the athletes, particularly in the men's sector, are young players and also debutants in the multi-sport event.

PBSI has decided to provide opportunities for young players to gain experience and feel the pressure of multi-sport events. This decision is part of a long-term regeneration program.

"Therefore, it has now been agreed between the review team and PBSI that there will be several player substitutions, with the best players being included. This is currently in the process of proposing changes, which will be technically submitted from the central management (PB) directly to KOI, and we are also overseeing the administrative processes from both PB and KOI to be able to re-register with the committee in Bangkok," said Surono.

Surono was reluctant to elaborate on the changes. However, if what is meant is the main squad, then it is highly likely that the athletes selected are not only experienced but also have great potential to deliver medals. This choice will sideline the efforts of regeneration that prioritize experience for young players.

This is because medals serve as a benchmark for the performance of athletes. According to Surono, the review team assesses the potential medal achievements from each sport, regardless of the type of medal. However, this benchmark is actually contrary to the main objective of pursuing a position in the final ranking. This is because only gold medals play a significant role in determining the standings.

On the other hand, the dynamics leading up to the SEA Games increasingly emphasize the stance of the Ministry of Youth and Sports under the leadership of Erick Thohir. From the outset, the Ministry has stressed that achievements are a priority. To that end, Erick emphasized that the dispatch of the contingent must be effective and efficient.

"The trust placed in me by the President, I do not want to become a note of concern for him in the future. Certainly, we from the government, the President, and everyone here must have the same commitment. That the athletes sent must truly be those who are prioritized and capable of winning medals," said Erick at a press conference also attended by the sports branch administrators, last October.

This was also reflected in Erick's response to Kompas' question about prioritizing young athletes. Erick stated that he would not discriminate against athletes. As long as they had a chance to win a medal, Erick didn't care whether the athlete was senior or young.

"I do not want to assume that young athletes are considered to lack potential, always losing to seniors. However, we must not forget seniors like Eko (Yuli, the veteran lifter). If it turns out that there is still potential, they still have a chance. This opportunity is what we must fully open," said Erick.

The SEA Games are held biennially. If the approach used is solely to achieve as many medals as possible in pursuit of rankings, the efforts for athlete regeneration may be hindered. The status of the SEA Games as an intermediate target, rather than a primary one, is also called into question.

Sports branches are also in a dilemma. The efforts to regenerate athletes by providing experience and starting their journey from the regional level will clash with the demands for medals. Because if the priority is medals, it is possible that senior athletes will be sent again.

In fact, in the last two editions, the sport has utilized a "formula" combining young and senior athletes as part of the long-term development program of the National Sports Grand Design (DBON). Starting from the Vietnam 2021 edition, the SEA Games are merely an intermediate target.

With this paradigm, the demands on athletes have shifted from merely winning medals at the SEA Games to achieving performance standards. Athletes need to meet performance standards in accordance with the periodization of training to excel in higher-level competitions, which are the primary goals, namely the Asian Games or the Olympics. If these standards are met and are better than those of athletes from other countries, medals will come naturally.

The same commitment continues at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games. The government provides opportunities for 60 percent of potential young athletes and 40 percent of senior athletes. The athletes sent are not only those who have a significant chance of winning medals but also potential young athletes who will succeed the senior athletes.

Compared to the Asian Games and the Olympics, the SEA Games do not limit the number of contingents from each country as long as they comply with the regulations for each sport and event. There are no qualifications, so any athlete sent can compete. However, this can be seen as a momentum to send young players to experience the international multi-sport event.

Moreover, since its inception, the SEA Games was not intended as a platform for achieving high performance. When it was first established under the name SEAP Games, this event was held as a stepping stone for athletes from Southeast Asia before competing in larger multi-sport events such as the Asian Games and the Olympics.