Kuwait City, Kuwait, December 23, 2020: The President of the Olympic Council of Asia, His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, believes the Olympic spirit has shone through the sports movement in 2020 despite the upheaval caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.
Reflecting on a year which has seen the Olympic Games in Tokyo postponed to 2021 and other major sports events around the world cancelled or rescheduled, the OCA President still feels something positive has emerged from the crisis.
“It has been a difficult year for all of us, and a tragic year for many people around the world,” he said.
“But I have witnessed many instances in which the Olympic sports family has come together to help each other and keep up the Olympic spirit.
“This has happened at all levels, from individual athletes to National Olympic Committees and from continental associations such as the OCA to the highest levels of the Olympic movement - the International Olympic Committee and the Association of National Olympic Committees.
“Athletes and NOCs have inspired sports-lovers and the general public by sharing physical exercise routines during lockdown and by organising Olympic-themed activities and online competitions for the community. This was especially noticeable during the Olympic Day celebrations.
“As for the IOC, ANOC and the OCA, they have stepped forward and taken quick and positive action in offering additional financial support to the NOCs and to the athletes to assist them in their extended preparations for Tokyo 2020 and beyond.”
Sheikh Ahmad said all parties had displayed leadership and unity in the decision to postpone Tokyo 2020 to the new dates of July 23 to August 8, 2021, and were continuing to plan for a safe and secure Olympic Games.
“The OCA has been affected, too, with the decision to postpone our Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China from November 2020 to April 2021, in cooperation with the local organising committee and the Chinese Olympic Committee,” he added.
“Apart from the Asian Beach Games in 2020, we have also been unable to hold several other popular annual activities, such as the OCA youth camp, the OCA regional forums in association with Olympic Solidarity and the Chefs de Mission Seminars for our OCA games.”
Thanks to the Zoom video conference link, the OCA has organised several virtual committee meetings in recent months along with Coordination Committee meetings to assess the progress and preparations of OCA games in 2021 and 2022.
“Once again you can feel the spirit of unity and cooperation in these meetings, and how everyone is working together for the good of the Olympic movement in Asia,” Sheikh Ahmad said.
“Through these meetings we can keep the movement moving forward and lay the foundations for a post-coronavirus world.”
The year ended on a high note for the OCA with the double award of the 21st Asian Games in 2030 to Doha, Qatar and the 22nd Asian Games in 2034 to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the 39th OCA General Assembly in Muscat, Oman on December 16.
“With this historic hosting award, the OCA now has host cities in place for the next four Asian Games, meaning the next available date is 2038,” Sheikh Ahmad concluded.
“This is a remarkable achievement and shows the trust and solidarity within the Asian sports movement.”