iMSPORT.TV – The SEA Games is known as the largest sporting event in Southeast Asia. This multi-sport event has continued to grow since its inception in 1959 and now represents the brotherhood among the 11 participating countries.
However, did you know that throughout its history, the SEA Games has been marked by twists and turns, from name changes, to additional participants, to logo changes?
The SEA Games logo, now known as the 11 rings, originally had only 6. So, what was the background to this change?
SEA Games 2025: Logo Change, Now 11 Rings
Background to the SEA Games Logo Change
Before officially changing its name in 1997, the SEA Games were originally known as the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games (SEAP Games). The SEAP Games logo was first introduced in 1959 in Bangkok.
This logo depicts six rings representing the six founding member countries: Burma, Cambodia, Malaya, Thailand, and South Vietnam. This logo was used until the 1997 SEAP Games in Jakarta.
In 1999, at the 10th SEA Games in Brunei Darussalam, the number of rings in the logo increased to 10.
This reflected Singapore’s official acceptance as a member by the SEAP Federation in 1961, followed by Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines in 1977.
At the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, the number of rings increased again. This reflected the federation’s official acceptance in 2003 of a new member, Timor-Leste, which had already gained independence from Indonesia.
To date, the SEA Games logo has consisted of 11 rings, symbolizing the unity of the participating nations.
This updated logo demonstrates that the SEA Games is more than just a sporting event, but also a diplomatic one. Each interlocking ring reminds us of the importance of unity despite the cultural and linguistic differences in Southeast Asia.
Follow the latest news on the Indonesian national team’s progress at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand. Support Indonesian athletes and watch live on MNC Group (RCTI, Visionplus, MNCTV, GTV, iNEWS, Okezone).
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