SINGAPORE – Singapore’s fencers may not have the opportunity to try and match their record haul of eight gold medals at the 2025 SEA Games, after several key events were dropped from the 2027 edition in Malaysia.

This, after the South-east Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) on Oct 30 approved the final programme for the 34th SEA Games, which will be held from Sept 18 to 29, 2027, across four main locations: Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Penang and Johor.

The programme features 100 fewer medal events than the 2025 Games in Thailand, with the cuts affecting both entire sports and individual events in sports that remain on the schedule.

Among the events omitted are the men’s and women’s epee and women’s sabre in fencing, in which Singapore won four gold medals, two silvers and one bronze at the 2025 Games in Bangkok. Rowing, canoeing, traditional boat racing, kickboxing, ju-jitsu, chess, wrestling and handball have also been dropped entirely.

The news means that Juliet Heng – who won the women’s individual sabre gold – the men’s and women’s epee teams, and Elle Koh – who won the women’s individual epee gold – will not be able to defend their titles.

When contacted, Fencing Singapore president David Chen would only say that the national sports association (NSA) “is in communication with the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) and regional stakeholders regarding the event program for the 2027 SEA Games”.

He added: “Program adjustments are a routine part of the multi-sport games planning cycle, and NSA leadership is actively engaging with organisers through official channels to advocate for a comprehensive and competitive fencing schedule.”

In response to requests for interviews with affected athletes such as Koh and Asian Games silver medallist Kiria Tikanah, Fencing Singapore said that they were "currently maintaining full focus on their rigorous training and upcoming international commitments”.

Kevin Goh, chief executive of the Singapore Chess Federation, expressed disappointment at his sport’s omission.

At the 2025 edition, Singapore won three bronze medals, and the sport has gained significant interest locally in recent years, helped especially by the staging of the World Chess Championship in 2024.

“It is certainly disappointing news,” said Goh. “South-east Asia has consistently produced some of the strongest chess players in Asia, with many achieving success against traditional powerhouses on the global stage. Given the continued growth of chess across South-east Asia and worldwide, as well as its recognition by many NOCs in the region, it is puzzling that chess has yet to become a regular fixture at the SEA Games.

“I hope this will change sooner rather than later, and that chess will have a more permanent place in future editions of the Games.”

Singapore’s ju-jitsu exponents will also not have a chance to keep up their proud record of winning at least one gold in every edition of the Games since the sport made its debut in 2019, after the omission of the sport.

Jedd Tan won the Republic’s sole ju-jitsu gold at the 2025 edition in the men’s fighting 77kg final.

Singapore Ju-jitsu Association president Henry Kothagoda told The Straits Times that “we are all very disappointed that ju-jitsu will not be included in the next SEA Games” and confirmed that the national body and their ASEAN counterparts had submitted appeals “as soon as we were made aware of this”.

“However, we must accept Malaysia’s decision and plan for the next SEA Games 2029 in Singapore,” he added. “In the interim, we shall participate in other championships to keep the athletes prepared for the next SEA Games.”

When contacted, an SNOC spokesperson said that it recognises that “the programme may not encompass all the sports and events contested in our region”.

“This is not uncommon at the SEA Games and other multi-sport Games, where the programme must be determined based on various considerations, including the host country’s ability to support and deliver the competitions.”

The spokesperson added: “We encourage our NSAs to remain focused on the continued development of their athletes and to sustain their preparations for the other key competitions on the international calendar.”

Vietnamese media had also expressed frustration at the omission of several events with Viet news agency Znews stating that it will lose the opportunity to defend approximately 30 gold medals, equivalent to more than one-third of the 87 gold medals that Vietnam won at the 2025 SEA Games, across various sports . Some of Vietnam’s strongest events that was cut include women’s futsal, the event in which the Vietnamese team won the gold medal for the first time at the 2025 edition.

Wushu will feature only taolu (performance), and not sanda (sparring), an event in which Vietnam had previously won two gold medals.

The Olympic Council of Malaysia said on Oct 30 that the final list of 473 events across 43 sports was determined following detailed deliberations involving NOC Malaysia, the Malaysian SEA Games Organising Committee and the SEAGF executive committee, “in accordance with the SEAGF Charter and Rules”.

The 2025 edition featured 573 events across 50 sports and Team Singapore celebrated a record 202 medals and its third-best haul of 52 golds, 61 silvers and 89 bronzes for an away SEA Games.

Critics have said that host nations at the SEA Games have often manipulated the event program to include sports and regional disciplines where they hold a competitive advantage, which help to boost their medal tallies.

For example, bowling, a sport where Malaysia has often thrived in, will offer 22 gold medals at the 2027 SEA Games, while at the last edition only six were on offer.

Five sports were approved following appeals: padel, dancesport, teqball, ice hockey and kabaddi.

This will be the first time padel – which combines elements of tennis and squash – is featured at the SEA Games, having made its Asian Games debut at the 2026 Nagoya Asiad.