Laos steps up efforts to develop sports

National Assembly members yesterday debated the newly drafted Sporting Law, after agreeing on the draft of the Drug Law on Tuesday.

The debate took place during the ongoing 4^th ordinary session of the Sixth Legislature of the National Assembly, which is considering and approving new and amended laws, from December 5 to 26.

Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and President of the Lao National Sports Committee Dr Phouthong Sengakhom presented the draft Sporting Law to members for their suggestions.

“When this law is approved, it will help aspiring athletes to become professionals and rise to the same level as other sportsmen and women in the region,” Dr Phouthong said.

The lack of a law to ensure their sporting future means that at present players only consider themselves to be amateur rather than professional athletes, he added.

Realizing that Lao athletes are responsible for the country’s reputation in this field, assembly members debated methods that would offer them advancement and a bonus if they win a medal.

The policies debated yesterday also related to athletes who sustained injuries or even died during competition, after the issue was raised by a meber for Vientiane, Mr Khamphuang Choummaly.

Another Vientiane member, Mr Bounpone Sisoulath, proposed that more children should be exposed to sports, to set them on this path early in life. He also mentioned the possible establishment of institutions for sports research.

To bring sporting standards up to regional and international level requires cooperation from many sectors, including public health, which should consider the health issue involved, pointed out a member from Champassak province, Professor Dr Phonthep Pholsena.

He proposed a new medical unit under the University of Health Science to study sports science, as is done in other countries.

“Unless we do the same, we can’t hope to compete internationally,” he said.

One of the crucial issues debated yesterday related to the identification of policies for students playing on national teams, especially when they train and compete in other countries.

In the past, this has proved problematic, as they have had to miss classes for weeks at a time.

“Sometimes teachers are reluctant to let these players sit exams because they have not complied with school regulation; this affects the attitude of student athletes and their parents,” Dr Phouthong said.

A member for Savannakhet province, Mr Khampheuy Phanthachon, commented that he had known students in the province who had not been able to catch up with their friends in passing examinations.

“But teachers can’t give them extra instruction as there are usually only one or two students in this situation,” he said.

“When the draft law is approved, we hope it will address these issues; present circumstances dictated that we need a law in place to manage sports development,” Dr Phouthong said.