Laos’ Tug-of-War Federation is set to revive the sport under new leadership, with plans to elevate it nationally and increase its regional presence in the coming year.
At a press conference on 6 August, the federation unveiled its new management team, led by former Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, with backing from the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The newly appointed team will oversee key aspects of the sport, including fundraising, organizing competitions, marketing, and building international relations. Alounkeo also mentioned plans to develop a comprehensive manual on tug-of-war rules and competition procedures. This guide will be distributed in schools to promote the sport and increase student participation.
The immediate priority for the team is to prepare a group of strong competitors for a tug-of-war contest in Thailand next month. Additionally, they plan to organize a national-level tug-of-war event in Laos later this year.
Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Kingmano Phommahaxay expressed confidence in the new leadership. He emphasized the importance of working with international and regional organizations to boost the sport’s popularity.
Looking ahead, the federation aims to include tug-of-war in the National Games in Vientiane Capital in 2025 and participate in the Southeast Asia Games hosted by Thailand.
Tug-of-war was once part of the Olympic Games but was removed after 1920. Established in 2016, the Lao Tug-of-War Federation has seen previous success in regional competitions, including a third-place finish at the ASEAN Tug-of-War Championship in Pattaya, Thailand.
