Challenges, Changes Laid Out for Various OCA Games

(ATR) A busy Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly cleared up the agenda for the programs for three of the body’s flagship multi-sport events through 2017.

At his press conference after the assembly, OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah cleared up the issues with the 2016 Asian Beach Games, 2017 Asian Youth Games, and 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

After giving up the 2019 Asian Games, Vietnam will continue as planned as the host for the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Nha Trang.

"Nha Trang gave a presentation that was well prepared, and I am confident in Vietnam," Sheikh Ahmad told reporters in his press conference.

"After Vietnam National Olympic Committee said they could not host the 2019 Asian Games, they would like to maintain that they can host the 2016 Beach Games."

Sheikh Ahmad also addressed the recent issues with Sri Lanka hosting the 2017 Asian Youth Games.Earlier this year, the OCA warned Sri Lankan officials that they needed to get on with preparation for the Youth Games or risk losing them.

"[Sri Lanka] is prepared to bring it to the capital so they can host the 2017 Asian Youth Games," Sheikh Ahmad said.

Originally Hambantota was to be the sole host city for the games, but now the city will be relegated to the secondary host, with most of the events taking place in Colombo.

Sheikh Ahmad said the OCA has been "flexible" with Sri Lanka after giving progress deadlines in March. The lack of progress on venues was blamed on a spat with the Sri Lankan NOC and the sports ministries.

"We already have started our strategizing with them to decrease the number of sports for the games."

Two changes were made to the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Tennis was added to the program, making its debut in the Asian flagship indoor games.

"We have received permission from the federation, and they give us the approval that Ashgabat can host them the indoor games."

Also, Sheikh Ahmad said that 18 Oceanic NOCs will participate in the event in addition to all 45 Asian NOCs.

"We talked to Oceania and they said they could not create their own indoor games, so for that reason we accept their participation in OCA."

Australia had previously applied to participate in the Asian Games, but Shiekh Ahmad said they would not add Oceanic nations if it would "kill another zone" to do so.

"I think we have an opportunity because we have multi-sport events in the beach games, indoor games, youth games, and winter games, which could give the whole of Oceania a change."

Further steps in cooperation with the Oceania National Olympic Committees would come if the event was successful. Sheikh Ahmad hinted the next games that ONOC could jointly particpate in would be the Asian Winter Games due to Oceanic countries not having a city to host such an event.

If joint participation were successful in an Asian Winter Games, then the body would discuss participation in the Asian Beach and Youth Games before even considering Asian Games participation.

"Why not? We are going step by step and using this as a start."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Incheon

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