Local martial arts Kun Lbokator and Kun Khmer have been successfully incorporated into the charter of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Federation (SEAGF), National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) secretary-general Vath Chamroeun announced on May 4.

Chamroeun, who doubles as Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) secretary-general, made the announcement following a SEAGF Council meeting chaired by its president Thong Khon, who doubles as Minister of Tourism and also heads the NOCC.

Their incorporation into the SEAGF charter means formal recognition for the two martial arts, paving the way for their inclusion in more SEA Games events, he noted.

He chalked this up as a victory for Cambodia, as a form of recognition of the Kingdom’s generous hospitality as well as its successful organisation of the SEA Games as this year’s host.

“This is precisely what we wanted, it’s regarded as a ‘second’ victorious step in the development and conservation of our sport – as part of our national identity,” Chamroeun said, likely alluding to Kun Lbokator’s inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as the “first” such step.

“We are committed to obtaining recognition for Kun Lbokator and Kun Khmer at the Asian regional level to include at sporting events. Our ambition is to get them into the Olympics,” Chamroeun said.