2. LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Brief histories of major international sporting competitions with Philippine participation.

·       THE MODERN OLYMPIC GAMES (1896)

Based on the ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece every 4 years, from at least 776 B.C. until they were banned by Emperor Theodosius in 393 A.D. Inspired by the original, Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France conceived the modern Olympic Games. Thus, the first modern Olympiad unfolded with much success in its original birth country, Greece—the 1896 Athens Olympics. Fourteen nations and 241 athletes (all males) took part in 9 sporting disciplines (Athletics, Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Weightlifting, Wrestling. 

In 1918, the Philippines was accepted by the International Olympic Committee in 1918. But it was only in 1924--the 8^th staging of the Games--that the Philippines sent a lone athlete accompanied by his coach. That honor belongs to Bicolano David Nepomuceno, a sprinter who raced in the 100 meter and 200 meter events. The first-ever Filipino to medal at the Olympics was the swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso who took home a Bronze medal at the 1928 games in Amsterdam. Filipino athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games from 1924 onwards, except for Moscow 1980 when the nation was part of the American-led boycott.

·       THE FAR EASTERN CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES (1913-1938)

Also known as the Far Eastern Olympic Games, Far Eastern Championships, Far Eastern Games, and the Oriental Olympics,  this was the first  Asian multi-sport event considered to be the predecessor of the Asian Games.

In 1913, Elwood Brown, president of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Association, proposed the creation of the "Far Eastern Olympic Games" to China and Japan. The Far Eastern Olympic Assocation (FEOA) was thus formed to organize the  first edition that was held on the Manila Carnival grounds (the future Rizal Memorial Sports Complex) from 1-9 February 1913.  Japan sent 12 delegates, China 40, and the host Philippines a whopping 103 athletes.  Gov. Gen. Wiliam Cameron Forbes welcomed the athletes who contested medals in 5 sports: Athletics, Swimming, Soccer, Basketball, and Volleyball. The Games were a huge success. As the Philippine Free Press reported: "the Far Eastern Olympiad is quite the most significant event that has touched Oriental peoples in united action. They have never met before for united action on any basis other than athletics". Brown reported its success  to Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin, who approved of the  games but suggested to drop the term "Olympiad"  as it was already in use by the Olympic Games. hence, in 1915, it was called the Far Eastern Championship Games.  The Games would come to include China, Empire of Japan, British East Indies (Malaysia), Thailand and British crown colony Hong Kong.  The Far Eastern Games ran every 2 years from 1913 to 1935, but the 1937 edition slated in Osaka, Japan was cancelled with the brewing second world war.

·       THE ASIAN GAMES (1951)

The Asian Games or the Asiad, is considered second-largest multi-sport event in the world after the Olympics. India took the lead in recommending a more inclusive competition to include more than just Far Eastern countries in 1949. The 1^st Asian Games were held in New Delhi from 4-11 March 1951. A total of 489 athletes from 11 National Olympic Committees competed in 12 sports. Japan was allowed to compete in the inaugural Asiad, after being banned at the 1948 London Olympics. The Philippines placed a creditable 5^th  (5 Golds, 6 Silvers, 8 Bronzes)   in the medal tally, and 3rd in the actual number of medals won.

Since the 1982 Games, the quadrennial events have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

·       THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN GAMES (1959)

The SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. It is one of the five subregional Games of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).  First launched as the South East Asian Peninsular Games or SEAP Games (abbreviated as SEAPG), the event was an offshoot of a post-Asian Games in Japan in 1958.

Founding member countries Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Malaya (Malaysia), Thailand and Vietnam, agreed to hold a sports event to promote relations among countries of the region. The 1st SEAP Games was held in Bangkok from 12 to 17 December 1959, with the addition of Singapore. In 1977, the admission of the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia to the games, prompted a name change to Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF). In its debut appearance at the 1977 games, the Philippines placed 3^rd overall, with 31 Golds, 30 Silvers and 30 Bronzes.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS

Today, Olympic sports are represented by their own international sports federations and are an essential part of the Olympic movement. Some of these governing bodies include: World Athletics, FIBA (Fédération Internationale de Basketball) for basketball, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) for football and soccer, FIG (Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique) for gymnastics, ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) for shooting, ITF (International Tennis Federation), and World Aquatics, for swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming.

There are 30 members of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations which are recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The International Boxing Association (IBA) was dropped from this roster in June 2023 due to managerial, finance, refereeing and ethical issues

These federations mount a series of world cup or world championship tournaments that serve as Olympic qualification events as well. Filipino athletes like gymnast Carlos Yulo, hurdler Eric Cray, pole vaulter Ernest Obiena, swimmer Jessie lacuna, and the Philippine Basketball Team have represented the country in these international championship events.

SOURCES/ CREDITS:

Olympics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games

David Wallechinsky, “A Brief History of the Modern Olympics”, xxi-xxiii. The Complete Book of the Olympics, Penguin Books, 1988, p.

Far Eastern Games: Frederick O. England, History of the Far Eastern Athletic Association, from the  OFFICIAL BULLETIN of the INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, p. 18.

Asian Games, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Games

Southeast Asian Games: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEA_Games

Logos of international federations, via google.