Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 16, 2022: The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia is confident that the stage is set for a successful hosting of the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Phnom Penh this October.
The OCA will come to town for the General Assembly on October 4, with the Executive Board meeting set for the previous day. There are also plans for an Asian Games Fun Run to promote the next Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
The meetings will take place at the Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel on the banks of the Mekong River and the NOCC is preparing to welcome 400 participants.
“We are very proud that the OCA is allowing us to host the General Assembly,” said Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the NOCC and one of the leading Olympic officials in southeast Asia.
“We are receiving the full support of the OCA and we are preparing very well to promote Cambodia’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games next year and also the Asian Youth Games in 2029.”
Cambodia will host the 11-nation SEA Games for the first time in history next May 5-17, followed by the ASEAN Para Games, while the long-term goal is to welcome the Asian Youth Games in 2029, following Tashkent in 2025.
Vath’s confidence springs from the hosting of the SEA Games Federation Council meeting at the Sokha Hotel from July 11-13 when all key matters were resolved thanks to the unity of the region and the desire to support Cambodia at this historic time for the Olympic movement.
“The SEA Games Federation Council and ASEAN Para Games Council meetings were invaluable for us,” added Vath.
“We learned so much about hosting a big event from the point of view of accommodation, transportation, Liaison Officers, protocol and the work of our volunteers.
“Now we can look forward to the OCA General Assembly in October. It will be much bigger, with 400 participants from around the world, but we are ready to welcome all our guests and show them the warm hospitality of Cambodia.
“Our NOC President, Dr. Thong Khon, is our Minister of Tourism, so he is very passionate about showing everyone a warm welcome and displaying the history and culture of Cambodia.”
Vath said the OCA General Assembly would be a good opportunity to inform all the delegates about the upcoming SEA Games next May and seek their support for a successful hosting.
“We want to invite the IOC President, Thomas Bach, and IOC members to attend the OCA General Assembly alongside our friends and colleagues from the OCA and all over the continent. We are very thankful for their encouragement of the NOCC and we want to present a good image of the Olympic movement in Cambodia and in the world.”