Kuwait City, Kuwait, September 15, 2021: The Olympic Council of Asia is asking its 45 National Olympic Committees to focus strongly on gender equality in assembling their teams for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China next year.
Following an online meeting of the OCA Executive Board on Monday, September 13, the OCA Director General, Mr Husain Al Musallam, has written to all NOCs to encourage them to select as many female athletes as possible in their delegations.
“The Executive Board unanimously decided that, since there is no qualification for athletes in the Asian Games, the member NOCs of OCA should send more female athletes for participation in the Asian Games in order to encourage more women participation and achieve gender equality,” Mr Al Musallam said in a circular dated September 14.
“The increased participation of female athletes in the Asian Games will definitely help in raising the awareness and technical standard of women’s sports in the near future, taking into consideration the Asian Games provides a unique platform for our young female athletes to compete with their counterparts in the Asian Games.”
Mr Al Musallam said participation was more important than winning or losing in the promotion of women in sport and the inspiration they would provide for future generations of female athletes throughout the continent.
“The Asian Games is not only about winning medals but also participating and competing in a friendly and fair play environment,” he said.
The 19th Asian Games will take place in Hangzhou in eastern China from September 10-25, 2022 with 40 sports, 61 disciplines and 482 events. Around 10,000 athletes are expected to attend.