Malaysian Sports Executive worried SEA Games food 'too good to resist'

The New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac is not the first ever sports facility was certified as "Class 1" by the International Association of Athletics Federation.

Turns out that it hasn't been the only world-class facility in the area.

While the opening of the Southeast Asian Games was marred by issues involving food and logistics, foreign athletes at the Athletes' Village in New Clark City were faced with a good problem: having too much delicious food.


In an article on the New Strait Times, Datuk Mumtaz Jaafar, the deputy president of the Malaysian Athletics Federation, said the food being served in the Athletes' Village is "simply too good to resist."

Mumtaz added that the kitchen also offers a wide-ranging menu and serves up to six meals a day.

"We arrived three days before athletics start and, after looking at the mess hall, I’m worried that some of my athletes might over-indulge and put on extra weight," she said.

Mumtaz added the food is even better than those served at some hotels.


Aside from its wide-ranging menu, the kitchen is also open 23 hours every day.

Athletes are being served breakfast starting from 5 a.m., while the last call for supper is at 4 a.m. the next day. There are also four more scheduled "feeding times" in between.

Datuk Mumtaz Jaafar, the deputy president of the Malaysian Athletics Federation, said the food being served in the Athletes' Village is "simply too good to resist."

“With the athletics venue across the road from the Village, I'm afraid they might have too much time in their hands and the mess hall might become the focal point,” Mumtaz said

Aside from the kitchen, the Village also has a total of 723 rooms, a swimming pool, a basketball court, a gym, conference rooms and an athletes' lounge. The main dining hall could also fit a thousand people.


Mumtaz also inspected the track at the stadium and found it to be "a little soft" since it's a new facility.

“It’s a new stadium with a newly-laid track and I found it to be a little soft. That’s one of the reasons why we came early so that our runners can get used to the condition here,” she said.

The open-air Athletics Stadium will be used for the track and field events of the biennial meet, which will include dash, pole vault and discuss throw.


The athletics tournament will be held from December 6 to 10.

The SEA Games will run until December 11. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/JST, GMA News

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This article first appeared on GMA Network.