Indonesian Olympic Committee announces SEA Plus Games and Asian Games preparations

The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) has announced the upcoming SEA Plus Youth Games, scheduled to begin in 2027. Unlike the SEA Games, which is limited to 11 Southeast Asian nations, the SEA Plus format will include invited guest countries. The inaugural edition is set to take place in Manila, Philippines, with expectations that participation could exceed 20 countries, potentially mirroring the scale of the Asian Games. KOI Chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari stated the initiative aims to increase competitive quality and prepare regional athletes for the Olympic level by including neighbors such as Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.

In related sports news, the Indonesian national weightlifting team has departed for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The squad features eight elite lifters, including three Olympians: Paris 2024 gold medalist Rizki Juniansyah, Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist and defending Asian Games champion Rahmat Erwin Abdullah, and veteran four-time Olympic medalist Eko Yuli Irawan. The weightlifting competitions are scheduled to take place from September 23 to 29, 2026.