KUALA LUMPUR: Sepak takraw heavyweights Thailand won't be participating in the inaugural Asia Cup in Malaysia from May 9-18.
Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (STAM) president Datuk Sumali Reduan said that Thailand had missed the registration deadline of Dec 31, 2024.
Sumali said he had lost patience with Thailand, and they had done the same thing by missing the registration deadline for the World Cup hosted by Malaysia last year.
"We gave one and a half month for the countries to respond. All the other nations confirmed their participation before the deadline, so why have Thailand remained silent without any confirmation?" said Sumali.
"We will not compromise, and we respect the commitment shown by all the other countries responding.
"We have never failed to participate in the King's Cup in Thailand, nor have we ever disregarded their rules, particularly deadlines. This championship is not a school- or village-level competition."
Sumali added that Thailand would need to submit an appeal if they still wish to participate in the Asia Cup, but there's no guarantee of acceptance, as the matter would be decided by STAM's commitee.
"We're not asking for a full list of players, just a simple confirmation letter to participate in the championship —it's not that difficult," he said.
"I've made it clear to them, don't treat sepak takraw as if it's a village-level sport. If we want to elevate this sport to a global stage, we must adhere to the rules.
Following the registration deadline, 13 teams have confirmed participation in the Asia Cup.