Danang, Vietnam, September 25, 2016: The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, addressed the 35th OCA General Assembly at the Royal Lotus Hotel and Convention Centre on Sunday morning.
President Bach congratulated the OCA and its President, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, for the success of Asia in the global Olympic movement.
"The Asian Olympic movement today is stronger than ever before in the worldwide Olympic movement," he said.
"Under the leadership of the OCA and the President Sheikh Ahmad, Asia can demonstrate huge success in many terms."
The first point, he said, was in sporting terms, with five Asian NOCs winning their first gold medal in history at Rio 2016. "This clearly demonstrates the growing power of sport in Asia," he said.
A sixth new gold came for the Independent Olympic Athletes, who were representing the suspended Kuwait Olympic Committee.
The IOC President pointed out that the Olympic movement had reached the turn of the "century of Asia", with the next three Olympic Games in the continent: the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang, Korea, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
"This is an unprecedented achievement having three consecutive games on your continent," he said, adding that the close working relationship between the three organising committees displayed "Asian unity inyour diverse continent."
The IOC President also spoke of the success of the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last year, and the increasing number of world championships and multi-sport events taking place on the continent.
"I thank you and congratulate you on this great contributionto the worldwide Olympic movement. All these achievements do not fall from heaven. It does not come from nothing."
He praised the hard work, efforts and determination of the National Olympic Committees and the OCA on a daily basis and said: "Only with this joint effort can you achieve these great results. Thank you for what you are doing to strengthen the Olympic movement and I would like to encourage you to continue in this way. Knowing the Asian mentality a little bit, I am sure you will do.
"The Olympic movement is counting on Asia and relying on the great contribution you are making to our worldwide effort."
President Bach said Asia was setting "an excellent example"with its dynamism and investment in the future of Asian youth.
Finally, the IOC President praised the OCA for selecting the historic central coastal city of Danang, Vietnam, as the host for the 5th Asian Beach Games, which opened on September 24 and will run until October 3.
"It has great symbolic value, and you are sending a strong message of understanding and peace to the Asian continent and the world," he said.
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