On the Scene in Macau - Tight Race for 2019 Asian Games; Calls for Taekwondo Support

2019 Race Update

The race for the 2019 Asian Games will be a close one, insiders predict.

Speaking to Around the Rings, NOC and OCA leaders all declined to predict a winner, saying the race remains extremely close between Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hanoi, Vietnam and Surabaya, Indonesia.

"I think it’s going to be a tough competition," says Syed Arif Hasan, president of the Pakistan Olympic Association.

"I wish all of them the best of luck."

Rumors indicate the Hanoi bid was found to be technically superior by the evaluation commission – and is believed to count enough votes from east Asia and southeast Asia to win Thursday’s big prize, ATR is told – but Hasan refused to comment.

Even Rita Subowu, president of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, would not say if her bid would win.

"We are optimistic," she says.

Subowu touts the city’s credentials, noting that in 2008, Indonesia was called "on short notice" to stage the Asian Beach Games and "did it the right way".

Surabaya, she says, is home to numerous Olympic champions, including Indonesia’s first medalist.

"Sport is their way of life," she tells ATR.

None of the three bid cities has an organized presence in Macau nor any promotional materials, a testament to the low-key nature of the race.

Ng Calls for Asia to Support Taekwondo

Three attendees to Wednesday’s meeting of the OCA Executive Committee say IOC vice president Ser Miang Ng called on NOCs throughout Asia to support taekwondo in the coming months.

Next year, the IOC will review its Olympic Program, selecting 25 core sports, meaning one sport currently contested at the Games will be cut. Taekwondo is thought to be one of the sports that might get kicked off the program.

Hemasiri Fernando, president of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, says he plans to support taekwondo.

"We have no hesitation," he tells ATR. "Taekwondo is quite popular [in Sri Lanka]. We are doing very well."

He adds this will be "one of the main tasks" for the immediate future.

Araf also says he thinks all Asian NOCs should support taekwondo.

Participants described the Executive Committee meeting as brief – more as a "preview" of Thursday’s General Assembly. The main agenda item is the election of a 2019 Asian Games host city, with committee chairs and upcoming host cities to give more detailed reports to the OCA’s supreme body.

Fernando says the only thing that surprised him from the meeting is that Nanjing, host of the 2013 Asian Youth Games, made it clear they had raised their own standards for the Games, and will put on a higher quality event than originally planned. He had reason to note the change as Hambantota, Sri Lanka will host the 2017 event.

"Their standards are very high," he tells ATR, expressing confidence in the organizers.

"We know their capabilities."

Following Thursday’s General Assembly, Olympic Solidarity meets on Friday, as does the Association of National Olympic Committees.

Support for Asian NOCs Big Issue for IOC Members

Asia’s IOC members want to know how to help the 21 NOCs that didn’t win a medal at the London Olympics.

The OCA Supervisory Committee, comprised of the continent’s IOC members, met on Wednesday at the OCA General Assembly in Macau.

Ng, who chairs the committee, tells ATR the question of how best to support the NOCs was the leading topic of discussion.

He says Olympic Solidarity scholarships are good, but added the question was raised of what more can be done "for the sporting powers of Asia to help the developing ones."

Ng adds that encouraging more young sports administrators in Asia remains another priority. The committee discussed ways of increasing the numbers of young sports administrators within Asia. He says the goal must be to develop them from the grassroots, within national federations and NOC administrative positions, eventually working their way up through the ranks.

The Advisory Committee only provides advice to the OCA and takes no formal actions within the organization.

Ng says "we have the easy job", and IOC member from the Philippines Francisco Elizalde adds the committee helps "establish a rapport with the IOC and OCA."

Reported in Macau by Ed Hula III

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