Tokyo, Japan, September 24, 2026: The Olympic Council of Asia Athletes Department is taking its Athletes Committee election campaign directly to the aquatics athletes residing at the Tokyo Shiomi Prince Hotel, ensuring that those staying outside the main Games accommodation centres also have the opportunity to vote and make their voices heard.
As part of the initiative, the OCA Athletes Department visited the aquatics hotel in Tokyo, where the swimmers are staying, to raise awareness of the ongoing elections and facilitate participation among athletes residing outside the main accommodation centres at the Cruise Ship and Garden Pier Villas.
The outreach includes sharing information about the voting process and distributing limited-edition OCA Athletes Committee earphones to athletes who have cast their votes, providing an additional incentive for participation.
For young Chen Ted Windsor, 50m backstroke swimmer from Singapore, the campaign banner displayed at the hotel was what first caught his attention.
“I knew about the elections because I saw the banner here at the hotel. I was actually waiting for the OCA team to come so I could collect my earphones after voting,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of the elections in ensuring athletes have a say in their representation. “I think the elections are important because they give athletes a voice. It is important that we, as athletes, get to choose who represents us and speaks on our behalf.”
The hotel visits form part of the OCA Athletes Department’s efforts to reach athletes across different accommodation locations, ensuring that geographical distance from the main Games centres does not become a barrier to participation in the elections.
Following the visit to the aquatics hotel, the OCA Athletes Department will extend the initiative to the athletics hotel at Chubu, where the entire athletics athletes are staying, to further expand the campaign and reach more potential voters.
Through these efforts, the OCA Athletes Department continues to promote athlete participation and representation, reinforcing the principle that every athlete should have the opportunity to contribute to the election of their representatives to the OCA Athletes Committee.
