Ahead of the key match at the 33rd SEA Games, the side story of the Thai men's volleyball team attracted attention. Accordingly, a pillar of this team publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the issue of gold medal bonuses.
Thai media reported that Kissada Yamine Nilsawai - the star of the men's volleyball team - made a shocking decision when announcing that he would leave the national team right after the 33rd SEA Games.
The reason comes from disagreements related to the reward level for gold medalists, which was previously announced at a higher level but was later adjusted down significantly.
Before the 33rd SEA Games started, the Thai volleyball team was informed that each athlete who won a gold medal would receive 500,000 baht. However, due to budget constraints, this bonus is not applied and returns to the previous 300,000 baht figure. The prize cut by nearly half disappointed Kissada, especially when the initial information created expectations for the athletes.
Right before the final, Kissada frankly shared his wish that the board would reconsider the promised prize. He confided that when he heard the news of the 500,000 baht bonus, he felt very excited, but when this number was changed, he did not understand the reason.
However, this star's proposal was not accepted. After Thailand defeated Indonesia to win the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games, Kissada announced that she would not continue to wear the national team jersey, at least in the near future. He said he will only play in the national championship and leave open the possibility of a comeback if the team really needs him.
Explaining his decision, Kissada said that the treatment regime for Thai athletes has not changed for too long. Daily allowances are already low, and are also deducted from other expenses, making actual income not enough to cover living expenses in the context of increasing living expenses.
For Kissada, the 33rd SEA Games is not only a tournament with successful achievements, but also a milestone that has forced him to seriously look back on his long-term journey with the national team.
