Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, February 16, 2020: A meeting of Secretaries General of the Central Asian National Olympic Committees was held in Nur-Sultan. The main agenda was not only the cooperation between the NOCs in the region but also the resumption of the Central Asian Games, reports Olympic.kz.
The meeting was attended by the Vice President of NOC Kazakhstan, Andrey Kryukov, and NOC representatives of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Iran.
At an earlier meeting of the OCA’s Central Asian NOCs - on September 18, 2019 in Nur-Sultan - a proposal was made to renew the organisation of the Central Asian Games. During that meeting, OCA Vice President Timur Kulibayev invited secretaries general to meet further to discuss this project.
The Secretary General of NOC Kazakhstan, Saken Mussaibekov, thanked the guests for their participation in the meeting and noted that the contribution of sport to international cooperation could not be overestimated.
"Today, at the initiative of the President of NOC Kazakhstan, Mr. Timur Kulibayev, and supported by the heads of NOCs of our countries, we are gathered in the capital of Kazakhstan. Sport plays an important role in the development of cooperation between countries and our task, as representatives of the National Olympic Committees, to show it in practice,” said Mussaibekov.
“We thank you for the fact that, in such a busy pre-Olympic season, you found the time to take part in this meeting, thus confirming the commitment to our common values – the strengthening of a better world through sport.”
The NOC secretaries general discussed the resumption of the Central Asian Games and scheduled the games for 2021. The participants agreed that comprehensive sports competitions will be useful not only to athletes but also to strengthen international cooperation between the countries.
In addition, 2021 will mark the first year of a new Olympic cycle and will help assess the level of national teams after the Olympic Games. The countries will discuss the frequency of the Central Asian Games as well as the sports to be contested.
In addition to Olympic sports it was suggested including non-Olympic sports traditional to the region.
As soon as the working group has determined all technical points, the heads of NOCs will make a final decision at the next General Assembly of Central Asian countries.
Yunus Popalzai, Secretary General of NOC Afghanistan, said: "I would like to thank NOC Kazakhstan for organising such a very important meeting. We also thank the leadership, especially the President of NOC Kazakhstan, Mr. Timur Kulibayev.
“He said last time that there should be such meeting at the level of secretaries general. This meeting was very productive. We expect that the Central Asian Games will be held very soon – to be hosted next year.
“The discussion was very productive and we hope that the technical level meeting, which will be held within one week, will make decisions on all aspects of the Games."
Saeidi Keykavous, Secretary General of NOC Iran, added: "This is my first time to come to Kazakhstan as Secretary General. As a result of our meeting I can say that we will prepare for the Games.
“I am confident that this is a great opportunity for all Central Asian countries. As you know, we used to be part of West Asia but we were asked to change zones and joined Central Asia. We would like to have good cooperation; we will compete in Central Asia at any time."
Salamat Ergeshov, Secretary General of NOC Kyrgyzstan, concluded: "When the World Wrestling Championships were held in Nur-Sultan, the decision to revive the Central Asian Games was made here at the level of the presidents and NOC leaders of our countries.
“We believe that the Games should be revived. This is one of the main starting points. Our athletes all know each other. The fact that the Games will be held in 2021, right after the Olympic Games, is also the right decision. This is the start of preparation in a new Olympic cycle - we will first see everything at the regional level and start preparing the team for the next stage, the Asian Games in 2022.
“It is very important for us to hold the Central Asian Games. For example, not all countries have the opportunity to send teams to different countries in team sports. And, among the seven countries, there will be an opportunity to see each other's level."
The Central Asian Games were first held in 1995 but have not taken place since 2003.
*The meeting also discussed the possibility of joint training camps with teams from other countries.
*The meeting was attended by FITEQ Sport Director Matt Curtain, who gave a presentation on the development of Teqball in Central Asia and in the world.
*The meeting was concluded by the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Cooperation between NOC Kazakhstan and NOC Turkmenistan. In the agreement the parties agreed on joint training camps and cooperation in anti-doping activities.
