Hangzhou, China, April 26, 2023: The Olympic Council of Asia used the platform of the Chefs de Mission Seminar in Hangzhou on Wednesday to update the National Olympic Committees on two important issues ahead of the 19th Asian Games this September and October.
Tony Tarraf, Head of Athletes Development Department and Special Projects, OCA, briefed the team leaders on the upcoming elections for the OCA Athletes Committee and on the campaign to prevent the manipulation of competition.
“For the first time, the members of the OCA’s Athletes Committee will be elected by the athletes, and this election will take place during the Asian Games in Hangzhou,” Tony said.
“We are still working on the procedure for nominations and the platform for the athletes to vote. We will finalise all these details in good time for the 19th Asian Games.”
The OCA urged the Chefs de Mission to inform their own athletes about the Athletes Committee elections so that everyone was fully aware of the process before heading for Hangzhou. “We need your help to promote this,” he told the CDMs.
Regarding the prevention of the manipulation of competition, Tony said the OCA was continuing to raise awareness of this important issue and that the OCA would be ready to receive any kind of report from anyone during the 19th Asian Games – and that the OCA would act accordingly based on an international code.
“By the end of July, we will have a webinar with the International Olympic Committee and Interpol for Chefs de Mission to attend online and raise awareness and promote to the athletes, technical officials and Chefs de Mission. It is not only athletes,” he stated. “It is a very important topic.”
Both these themes were discussed in detail at the recent OCA Athletes Forum in Bangkok, which was held on March 18-19.