The host Singapore impressed participants in the 12-day-long Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that wrapped up on Tuesday with the fairness and just judgments of referees.

It sounds normal but rare in Southeast Asia as most host nations have finished the Games editions as the leaders of the medal tables in the past decades. 

Thailand led the 28th SEA Games with 95 gold medals, 83 silvers, and 69 bronzes, followed by Singapore with 84 golds, 73 silvers, and 102 bronzes.

Vietnam ranked third, earning 73 golds, 53 silvers, and 60 bronzes.

Tran Duc Phan, head of the Vietnamese sports delegation to the 28th SEA Games, praised that, “There is almost nothing to complain about the organization and refereeing at the 2015 SEA Games.

“I didn’t hear athletes and officials of any nation moan about that.

“Referees at this edition were open-minded and receptive to feedback.”

In the women’s volleyball semifinal between Vietnam and the host Singapore, the main referee judged that the Vietnamese players lost in a move for sending the ball out of the field.

The Vietnamese team protested the decision and the main referee then consulted other referees before making a U-turn to give a point to Vietnam.

The match had two situations like that. Vietnam beat Singapore 3-0 while the referees showed no favor to the host players.

Ali Mohd Rustam, chairman of the Malaysian sports association, admitted, “Refereeing at this tournament was fair.”

Some organizational mistakes did happen but that is normal for such a big tournament with the participation of thousands of athletes in over a hundred events.

Journalists also agreed that referees were fair during the sports festival.

So it is not a boast to say that the 28th SEA Games is the most decent in the history of the regional sports competition.

The 29th SEA Games will be hosted by Malaysia in 2017.

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