Muscat, Oman, December 17, 2020: The awarding of two Asian Games was the highlight of the Olympic Council of Asia’s 39th OCA General Assembly in Muscat, Oman on Wednesday, December 16.
Doha, Qatar and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were both bidding to host the 21st Asian Games in 2030.
However, thanks to a deal brokered by the OCA President, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, on the eve of the General Assembly, it was agreed that the city with the most votes would host the 2030 Asian Games and the other city would organise the 2034 Asian Games.
The vote was conducted online by the National Olympic Committees who could not attend the meeting and by the traditional paper ballot for the NOCs inside the JW Marriott Hotel. Doha came out on top of the secret ballot.
With the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2022, the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan in 2026, plus Doha 2030 and Riyadh 2034, the next available hosting date for the OCA’s showpiece event is 2038 – 18 years away.
“I hope we reached our goals,” said the OCA President, summing up the meeting.
“I am very happy with the solidarity and unity. Congratulations Doha 2030; congratulations Riyadh 2034. Unity, solidarity and a solution is always available in Asia.”
Despite the travel restrictions and health protocols in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sheikh Ahmad said the OCA General Assembly still managed to attract a “full house” of partners and stakeholders.
The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, sent a 12-minute video message to the General Assembly during which he praised the preparations of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics next year and the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022, along with the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September 2022.
“Asia is taking centre stage in the sports world,” he said.
“I would like to thank OCA and all the National Olympic Committees for being such reliable partners on our side as we look forward to these two extraordinary Olympic years ahead.”
The meeting also heard from the organising committees of the three OCA games in 2021 and the Asian Games in 2022 and received reports from the five OCA Vice Presidents representing the five zones as well as from the 17 OCA committees.
Presentations were also made by the IOC Olympic Solidarity funding division and the Association of National Olympic Committees.
The General Assembly elected a new OCA Vice President to serve as coordinator for the 90 sports federations that take part in the five OCA multi-sport games: Chey Teawon, Vice President of the Asian Handball Federation and President of the Korea Handball Federation.
