Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 7, 2022: The Olympic Council of Asia’s Asian Games Director, Mr Haider Farman, brough the OCA/Olympic Solidarity Regional Forum to a close in Riyadh on Wednesday, December 7.
The regional forum covered a total of four days, with National Olympic Committees from West, Central and South Asia gathering on December 4-5 and NOCs from East and South East Asia on December 6-7.
The forum covered four main aspects: preparations for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023; the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Bangkok and Chonburi province, Thailand from November 17-26, 2023; the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; and the Olympic Solidarity world and continental programmes available to the NOCs.
“We would like to thank you all for sharing your experience and information, and I am sure everyone has benefited a lot from these meetings,” said Mr Farman.
On behalf of Olympic Solidarity in Lausanne, Switzerland, Mr Edward Kensington said: “I hope it has been an interesting experience that helped you with your preparations for the Asian Games, AIMAG and Paris 2024, and also with the Olympic Solidarity programmes.
“I would like to thank the OCA for the excellent cooperation and support in organising the regional forum and also the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee for their hosting.”
*The Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (HAGOC) provided details on all key aspects of the 19th Asian Games.
HAGOC is planning to host National Olympic Committee visits and open days in the first half of next year through to June, although the conditions will be governed by the policy of the Chinese government regarding covid-19 prevention and control; at this time, it means five days of hotel quarantine plus three days of isolation – a system known as 5+3.
The overall message from HAGOC was that, with the 19th Asian Games still nine months away, there was strong optimism that all covid-19 restrictions would be lifted and that visitors would be able to experience and enjoy a truly open Asian Games.
The Pre-Delegation Registration Meetings (Pre-DRM) for NOCs will be held from May 20-June 15 in a format to be decided, while the Delegation Registration Meetings (DRM) will be conducted in the Asian Games Village from September 9-22 – the day of the pre-opening of the village through to the eve of the opening ceremony on September 23.
The main Athletes’ Village in Hangzhou, with 37 buildings in six blocks, will pre-open on September 9 and open officially on September 16. The dining hall will accommodate 4,200 people. There will be five sub-villages at Tonglu, Chun’an, Jinhua, Ningbo and Wenzhou.
*The HAGOC presentation was followed by an online update from AIMAG 6, which will feature 35 medal sports and two demonstration sports and a total of 334 events, with 123 events in Bangkok and 211 in Chonburi province.
*The final presentation on the fourth and final day of the forum came from the OCA, as Tony Tarraf – head of Athlete Development Department and Special Projects – outlined the projects offered by the OCA under the Olympic Solidarity continental programme.
He informed the delegates from South East Asia and East Asia that the next stage of the OCA Development Programme for Coaches and Referees would focus on these two OCA zones next year, after working with West Asia in Kuwait and then the NOCs of Central and South Asia in Tashkent, Uzbekistan earlier in 2022.
Each NOC will be able to send two coaches and two referees in sports that have yet to be finalized.
NOCs then gave brief reports on the Olympic Solidarity continental programme projects they have conducted, including Mongolia, Japan and Cambodia.
“It was great to listen to the activities of the NOCs and the collaboration with the OCA. We challenge you to apply for more programmes next year,” said Tony.