Hangzhou, China, May 8, 2023: The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, continued his trip to China by visiting Hangzhou on the morning of Monday, May 8.
The IOC President toured some of the venues for the 19th Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou and five other cities of Zhejiang province from September 23 to October 8, 2023.
“Hangzhou has world-class facilities and is operationally ready,” he said, after a walk around the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre which includes the “Big Lotus” main stadium, the “Little Lotus” tennis centre, the new aquatics centre and the basketball gymnasium.
“Athletes and spectators can look forward to exciting Asian Games Hangzhou 2023. They will be brilliant.”
President Bach was accompanied by provincial and municipal government leaders, IOC members and other leading dignitaries.
They were Mr Zhang Jiasheng, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province and Vice President of HAGOC; Mr Yao Gaoyuan, Mayor of Hangzhou, Vice President and Secretary General of HAGOC; Mr Yu Zaiqing, IOC Member and Chinese Olympic Committee Vice President; Ms Li Lingwei, IOC Member, Vice President of the COC and Deputy Secretary General of HAGOC; Ms Zhang Hong, IOC Member and IOC Athletes Commission member; Mr Chen Weiqiang, Executive Secretary General of HAGOC and Vice Mayor of Hangzhou; and Mr Zheng Yao, Director of Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau and Deputy Secretary General of HAGOC.
President Bach was welcomed to China by Chinese Olympic Committee President Gao Zhidan on Friday, May 5. It is the IOC President’s first visit to China since the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
