Harbin, China, February 7, 2025: The opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin on Friday night will mark another chapter in the success story of China in the Olympic movement.
The OCA Director General, Husain Al Musallam, spoke about China’s contribution and capability during the OCA/Harbin Asian Winter Games Organising Committee joint press conference on Thursday, February 6.
Mr. Al Musallam recalled that, in his role with the OCA, he began working with the Chinese sports authorities in 1985 to prepare for the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990 – the first international multi-sports event to be held in China.
“I saw the commitment, and from that time in China how they wanted to develop the sport inside China and in the Asian continent,” he told the press conference.
“I was lucky also in Tehran in 1974, I saw the first time, as an athlete, the appearance of China for the first time in the Asian Games.”
The OCA Director General said he regarded it as his “duty and responsibility”, in charge of the development of sport in Asia, to give the chance to a country and National Olympic Committee that was keen to work for the development of sport internally and internationally.
The success of the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing served as a bridge to the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, Asian Winter Games in Harbin 1996 and Changchun 2007 and to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
With China’s advanced technology bringing a whole new dimension to the Asian Games for athletes, participants and spectators, especially in the opening and closing ceremonies, Mr. Al Musallam described Hangzhou as “excellent - the best Asian Games in history and the best multi-sports event in the world”.
He concluded: “After 40 years, I see now from West, East that in Asia, whatever sport you want to give them they will deliver in the highest standard with the highest respect, with the highest hospitality - and this is the most important thing.”
