Hangzhou, China, October 8, 2023: On the morning of the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, the event has received glowing praise from one of Asia’s most experienced sports administrators.
Muhamadsho Abdullozoda, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Tajikistan, believes the Hangzhou Asian Games have been conducted to Olympic Games level.
“I have been participating with my NOC at a lot of Asian Games, starting from the 1998 Asian Games, and every Asian Games I was Chef de Mission,” he said.
“For me, this is one of the best Asian Games. It is of Olympic Games standard in all aspects – the infrastructure, the management of the competitions, the Athletes’ Village, transportation, guest hospitality, volunteers, drivers and translators…everyone has been helping us.”
Muhamdsho puts the success of the Hangzhou Asian Games down to good communication between HAGOC and the OCA’s 45 National Olympic Committees in the build-up to the Games and the coordination and support of the Olympic Council of Asia and IOC.
“For Hangzhou I would like firstly to thank the Olympic Council of Asia and, of course, for IOC support. I would also like to thank the government of China because of the good preparation. Before we came to the Asian Games, we had very good communication, on-time reply, from HAGOC in every department such as accreditation and sport entry.
“This Asian Games, in my lifetime, is one of the best Asian Games organised at a very high level.”
Muhamdsho said the athletes were very happy in the Athletes’ Village, with the accommodation, dining hall and the shuttle bus service inside the village.
“The Athletes’ Village was very good, very compact, only three minutes from anywhere to the dining hall, and the dining hall was so big and there were no lines for athletes. The service for athletes inside the village was also very good, with the shuttle bus every three seconds, no line, no waiting, anytime.
“The accommodation was like a hotel, with a washing machine in every room and they provide a good supply of soap, shampoo and toothpaste, everything.”
Muhamdsho also praises the standard of refereeing during the Asian Games, saying they were fair to every athlete no matter what flag they represent.
“In some competitions, the referees make the wrong way, but the referee service is very good. It does not matter if you are from Tajikistan, or from China or Japan, the referee makes the rule according to the rule of IOC and according to the rule of Olympic Council of Asia. It’s been very well done and no problems.”