Official Newsletter of the Olympic Council of Asia
Smile, you’re in
Edition 31 - December 2015
Ashgabat
OCA General Assembly OCA Youth Camps OCA/OS Regional Forum OCA Games Update
Contents
Inside your 32-page Sporting Asia
03
OCA President’s Message
04
News Digest | ANOC General Assembly
IOC President praises ANOC
Doha date for ANOC in 2016 ANOC Gala Awards
04
05
Sporting Asia is the official newsletter of the Olympic Council of Asia, published quarterly.
News Digest Asiad Hall opens at Main Stadium iSR Academy in Korea
Executive Editor / Director General
Husain Al Musallam husain@ocasia.org
06 07
07
News Digest Shaikha Hayat wins IOC award
Art & Design
IKA elect new president
lucien@ocasia.org
Sports Digest | Ju-jitsu from Bangkok OCA, JJAU boost Ju-jitsu’s Olympic bid
Lucien Alvarez Salichs
Director, Int’l & NOC Relations
Vinod Tiwari vinod@ocasia.org
08-09 10-11 12
OCA Youth Camp Asian Youth Development Project OCA/OS Regional Forum Inside The OCA
Haider A. Farman haider@ocasia.org
Editor
Jeremy Walker jeremy@ocasia.org
OCA Executive Board OCA Finance Committee
13
Director, Asian Games Department
Executive Secretary
Nayaf Sraj
13-20
34 OCA General Assembly th
OCA President re-elected New Executive Board OCA welcomes ONOC Randhir Singh stands down Central Asia zone Update Postcards from Ashgabat
21-24
21
nayaf@ocasia.org
OCA Games
Olympic Council of Asia PO Box 6706, Hawalli Zip Code 32042 Kuwait Telephone: + 965 22274277 - 88 Fax: + 965 22274280 - 90 Email: info@ocasia.org Website: www.ocasia.org
Danang 2016 Sapporo 2017 Ashgabat 2017 Jakarta-Palembang 2018
23 Page
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News and sports from 45 NOCs
31 32
Obituary OCA Sports Diary and Sponsors’ Club
Front Cover: Young musicians greeted the OCA in Ashgabat ahead of the 34th General Assembly.
President’s Message Asian NOCs blaze a trail for ANOC World Beach Games The Olympic Council of Asia can take great pride in the fact that the Association of National Olympic Committees will be starting the ANOC World Beach Games in San Diego, southern California, in 2017. The OCA’s 45 National Olympic Committees can also take a lot of credit for this landmark ANOC decision, as the success of our own Asian Beach Games has no doubt laid the foundations for this new and exciting multi-sports event on the Olympic calendar. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the success and growing popularity of the Asian Beach Games, from those early pioneers in Bali in 2008 to the list of NOCs wanting to hold future editions of our beach and sea sports extravaganza folowing Danang, Vietnam, in 2016. Once again the OCA and its NOCs have proved to be a major partner and a major player in the global Olympic Movement, setting the scene for others to follow – in this case ANOC and its 206 NOCs. The attractions of the Beach Games are clear, offering a modern, up-beat presentation of sport for a new generation of sports fans – short and sharp, fun in the sun. The emphasis will be on youth and on entertainment, both in the competition arena with the athletes and in the grandstands with the spectators, creating a friendly, family-oriented environment. With four Asian Beach Games already under our belts, we know what to expect in San Diego 2017. The rest of the world will find out soon. “You could see a General Assembly that was really united among the NOCs. You and your president can be very proud of the great progress ANOC has made, to make ANOC an even more important partner in the Olympic Movement.”
Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah President, Olympic Council of Asia President, Association of National Olympic Committees Chairman, IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission
Thomas Bach hails
ANOC success
The IOC President, Thomas Bach, has praised the role of ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad in creating a more dynamic and relevant sports organisation with the involvement of 206 National Olympic Committees around the world. Addressing the 20th ANOC General Assembly in Washington DC, President Bach said: “In Bangkok last year we could see the new face of ANOC and see a very active General Assembly - a General Assembly that was not just listening to reports but was making an active contribution.
IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach.
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News Digest
20th ANOC General Assembly
Other key points from the 20th GA at the Washington Hilton on October 29-30: San Diego, United States, will organise the inaugural ANOC World Beach Games in September 2017, featuring 21 sports 17 of them in a 62-acre site on Mission Beach. Sheikh Ahmad’s proposal to establish a good governance seminar for all NOCs was approved and will now be discussed with the IOC and Olympic Solidarity. 204 of the 206 NOCs were represented at the General Assembly. Congo-Brazzaville was a late no-show, and Kuwait NOC was suspended by the IOC on October 27 for government interference.
United States Vice President Joe Biden.
Doha date for
ANOC in
2016
United States Vice President Joe Biden was a surprise guest on the second morning of the Assembly, thanking the NOC leaders for their dedication to sport and describing the Olympic Movement as the “one unifying element” in global society.
The rise and rise of Qatar in the global sports movement will continue next year when Doha hosts the 21st ANOC General Assembly in 2016.
in Brazil, and with only six months between the 20th and 21st General Assembly meetings, ANOC instead will gather in Doha later in the year.
The 206 National Olympic Committees of the five rings will converge on the Qatari capital in early November after ANOC decided to change the venue of the 2016 General Assembly from Rio de Janeiro.
By delaying the meeting for seven months, it will also give ANOC the opportunity to reward the best male and female athletes from each of the five continents at Rio 2016 at the third annual ANOC Awards running in conjunction with the GA.
Rio was due to host the 21st General Assembly next April, but with preparations for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in full swing
Incheon Asiad stars win ANOC awards Two outstanding performers from the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, in 2014 were rewarded for their success by being named Asia’s Athlete of the Year at the second annual ANOC Awards in Washington DC on October 29.
Yao Jinnan
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Qatari sprinter Femi Seun Ogunode, who won the 100m and 200m double at Incheon, was selected as Male Athlete of the Year for Asia, while the Female category went to Chinese gymnast Yao Jinnan, who won four gold medals at the 17th Asiad – in the team event plus individual titles in the all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise.
They received their awards from IOC members Barbara Kendall of New Zealand and China’s Yu Zaiqing. Each continental award was followed by a cultural performance displaying traditional music and dance, from Africa, Ireland, India, Fiji and “All That Jazz” from the United States. Presenters included United States swimming stars Ryan Lochte and Katie Ledecky, and the MC for the event - held at the DAR Constitution Hall - was retired Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Ato Boldon.
Femi Seun Ogunode
News Digest
The torch relay at the Asiad festival on October 4.
Incheon Asiad Hall opens at Main Stadium Over 2,000 Incheon Asian Games supporters, staff and volunteers participated in the opening ceremony of the Incheon Asiad Hall and walking festival at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on October 4.
ter-active and hands-on activities, providing a permanent legacy to the OCA’s showpiece event for generations to
The Incheon Asian Games Liquidation Committee, led by the President, Kwon Kyung-sang, organised the opening ceremony. VIP guests included Yoo Jeong-bok, Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City, No Kyung-soo, Chairman of Incheon Metropolitan Council, and Kim Young-soo, the former President of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee.
The event was held to celebrate the oneyear anniversary of the closing ceremony of the 17th Asian Games and gave sports fans the chance to relive some of the magical moments from the Incheon Asiad and view over 9,000 items of memorabilia. The Hall also includes a number of in-
Retired athletes find a new home in Korea Career transition for elite athletes from the competition arena to the work place is one of the hottest topics within the global Olympic Movement.
China, Korea, India, Pakistan and Myanmar among others.
Many people are offering a helping hand and giving something back to sport, none more so than Korea’s Athens Olympics taekwondo golden boy, Moon Dae-sung. As President of the International Sports Relations (iSR) Foundation, the IOC member has established the iSR Academy for retired athletes – a one-year university scholarship in Korea to provide the students with a wide variety of skills and experience to choose their next step in life. The first batch of 17 students have now settled in at Global Campus University in Songdo, Incheon, and they come from For more details, see: www.i-sr.org
come. It is located on the fourth floor of the Main Stadium and divided into 12 themes.
The iSR Academy is sponsored by ANOC and the Korean government and was opened officially on September 4 during the 2015 iSR Forum “Beyond the Finish Line: The Transition into Life after Sporting Competition”.
They have been nominated by their NOCs, with the minimum requirement for consideration an appearance at continental games level, although the class includes several Olympians. The course involves English language, computer skills, field trips, internships and courses in sports-related activities such as media, marketing, business and administration.
The first batch of students at the iSR Academy, with VIP guests, at the opening ceremony. Page
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:News Digest
News Digest
Women and Sport
Shaikha Hayat wins IOC women and sport award for Asia
Shaikha Hayat is pictured (second from right) at the IOC awards ceremony in Lausanne.
Bahrain Olympic Committee board member Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa received the IOC Women and Sport Award 2015 for Asia at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Wednesday, November 11. Shaikha Hayat, who is also a member of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports in Bahrain and Chairwoman of Bahrain NOC women’s sports committee, was rewarded for her long-standing efforts to promote women in sport, not only on the field of play but also in the board room and senior management. Shaikha Hayat collected her award from IOC President Thomas Bach in the presence of high-ranking sports officials from around the world, including OCA and ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah and IOC member Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein of Jordan.
“This year marks 20 years since the creation of the IOC women in sport commission, which has worked tirelessly to increase female participation in sport at all levels,” said President Bach, whose Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms package aims for 50 per cent female participation in the Olympic Games. Shaikha Hayat said the award was an incentive for her to continue her efforts to further develop women in sport in Bahrain, and thanked the government for their unlimited support. As an athlete in the traditionally conservative kingdom of Bahrain, Shaikha Hayat pioneered the inclusion of women in sport not only in her own country but also throughout the Gulf region. The other award winners were: World, New Zealand Olympic Committee; Oceania, Cathy Freeman; Africa, Mervat Hassan; Americas, Sara Rosario; Europe, Stavroula Kozompoli.
OCA’s Haider Farman elected IKA President
The Director of the OCA’s Asian Games department, Mr Haider A. Farman, is the new President of the International Kurash Association.
Representing Kuwait, Mr. Haider Farman was elected unanimously for a four-year term at the XV Ordinary Congress of the IKA at Khorramabad, Iran, on November 4. Page
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The Congress members were briefed by the IKA President on the recent inclusion of kurash in the sports programme of the 18th Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia. Kurash will also feature at the 5th Asian Beach Games 2016 in Vietnam and the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2017 in Turkmenistan.
Mr Farman (second from left) at the XV Ordinary Congress.
Sports Digest Ju-Jitsu
OCA, JJAU boost ju-jitsu’s Olympic bid
JJAU General Secretary Fahad Ali Al Shamsi.
The 1998 Bangkok Asian Games venue of Thammasat University Rangsit Campus hosted the Ju-Jitsu World Championships from November 20-22. A record 574 athletes from 53 countries took part in the three disciplines: fighting, ne waza (ground technique) and duo, the latter including the creative and entertaining “show” system for the first time. Despite the dominance of northern Europe on all three days, the growing influence of Asia could be seen, on the tatami to some extent but more behind the scenes at this point of the sport’s renaissance. The President of the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF), Mr Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, called an Extraordinary
Gold and silver for UAE in ne-waza 94kg for Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi.
General Assembly on the eve of the world championships to push through a series of reforms aimed at making the sport more professional in its management and administration.
These include the setting up of a permanent new headquarters in Abu Dhabi, where the Crown Prince, His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has proved to be a generous and innovative patron with a long-term vision for the sport. The ultimate dream is a place in the Olym-
Jordan’s Lama Qubbaj (second from left) won gold in the women’s ne-waza + 70kg category.
pic Games, which the JJIF thinks is more accessible due to the flexibility of IOC President Thomas Bach’s Olympic Agenda 2020 strategic roadmap, but first they must develop the sport in Africa, Oceania and the Americas to gain IOC recognition. Asia, however, is on the move, and the JJIF’s Greek president was quick to praise the role of the Ju-Jitsu Asian Union (JJAU) and of OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah in promoting the sport through OCA events. The General Secretary of the JJAU, Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, told the EGA: “We are proud to work together, and I believe the future of ju-jitsu will be great as we make a really big step. We are behind the President and his team, and from our side in Asia we can help everyone.”
Pakistan’s Muhammad Ammar and Abu Hurrara, with President Khalil Ahmed Khan, won silver in the men’s duo show system. Page
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Asian Youth Development Project
OCA breaks
with Internationa
One of the most popular events on the OCA’s Continental Programme under Olympic Solidarity is the Asian Youth Development Project.
High hopes at the high jump camp.
By selecting different sports every year and giving the chance for ambitious young athletes, and their coaches, to attend an intensive twoweek training camp, the OCA is laying a solid foundation of talent for the future across a wide range of sports. This would not be possible, however, without the support of key stakeholders in Qatar, particularly the NOC, National Sports Federations, the Olympic Academy and Aspire Academy, as well as the International Federations of the sports concerned. This cooperation and collaboration guarantees world-class sports facilities, accommodation, modern coaching methods and other vital ingredients to make a recipe for sporting success.
Practice makes perfect.
Fun and friendship at the 3x3 hoops camp. Page
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The athletes – one male and one female from each NOC for each sport – are aged from 15-17. Accompanied by a coach, they are able to listen and learn day by day and gain a wealth of knowledge and experience to take back to their own country and continue the development process.
Over 100 players and coaches at
new ground
al 3x3 hoops camp
In 2015, OCA organised three camps: 3x3 basketball from September 5-18, and camps for table tennis and high jump athletes running simultaneously from November 15-29. The OCA’s Director General and Technical Director, Capt Husain Al-Musallam, has witnessed the growing popularity of 3x3 basketball at the Asian Beach Games, and was encouraged by the success of the camp in Doha.
Jumping for joy at the high jump camp.
“We are very honoured to be hosting the first international training camp of 3x3 basketball anywhere in the world,” he told the athletes. “Everyone here is a part of history, as the International Basketball Federation, FIBA, devotes more and more time and resources to this fast and exciting form of the sport.” The 3x3 hoops camp was attended by 84 athletes and 49 coaches from 24 NOCs. The Aspire Academy hosted the two camps in November, with 116 athletes from 34 NOCs in attendance.
ttended the 3x3 basketball camp.
Yes, boss! The table tennis players are all ears.
Relaxing at the high jump camp. Page
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Olympic Solidarity OCA Regional Forum 2015
The forum is up and running in Tashkent.
Asia’s National Olympic Committees were given a taste of Brazilian magic at the two regional forums for the five zones of the OCA.
Asia and Central Asia, while the East Asian and South East Asian NOCs assembled in Jakarta – host city for the 18th Asian Games in 2018.
The annual forums, organised by the OCA in conjunction with Olympic Solidarity, took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on November 24-25, and in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 28-29. The first forum was for the NOCs from West Asia, South
Photo call in Jakarta. Page
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Olympic Solidarity’s Olivier Niamkey.
Río 2016 magic comes to Asia
The focus, however, was firmly on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a team from the organising committee and from the IOC covered every possible aspect of Games preparation in these crucial closing months to ensure a smooth participation for the people who matter most – the athletes.
Accreditation, transportation, accommodation, arrival and departure procedure, proto-
col and ticketing were among the main issues, on top of the more technical aspects such as the sports programme, competition and training venues, athlete eligibility and the qualifying process and advertising restrictions on equipment and clothing. Just to make sure the Chef de Mission of the NOCs, or their representatives in the forum, were up to speed on the tasks ahead, Rio organisers conduct-
Cheers: OCA’s Haider Farman with Children of Asia Games organisers.
Taking it all in at the Tashkent forum.
a at regional forums for NOCs ed a multiple choice quiz to test the knowledge of the procedures and protocol.
Summing up the forum on the second and final day in Jakarta, the OCA’s Haider Farman thanked Indonesia NOC, the Ministry of Sports and everyone involved in the successful hosting of the forum for 19 NOCs and over 70 delegates. “The forum has been very well organised and it shows
the good preparation for this event,” he said. “We fully trust all of Indonesia that they can fulfill the requirements of this forum and of other events in the future. We have full confidence that the 18th Asian Games in 2018 will be held at a very high level in terms of preparation and organisation.” The new president of Indonesia NOC, Erick Thohir, said he was looking forward to work-
Games organizers prepare for their presentations.
OCA’s Haider Farman addresses the Tashkent forum.
ing with all the NOCs in the SEA region and beyond in the build-up to the 18th Asian Games.
“It is good for Asia to become one and learn and share some experiences,” said Mr Thohir, who succeeded Rita Subowo
as NOC president at the beginning of November for the next four years. There were also updates from the 5th Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam, in 2016, the 8th Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan, in 2017 and the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang in 2018, as well as the Children of Asia International Sports Games in Yakutsk, Russian Federation, in July 2016.
Hong Kong NOC won the Chef de Mission quiz. Page
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Inside the OCA OCA EB hears of developing Asia
The OCA Executive Board meeting in Ashgabat.
The rise of Central Asia within the OCA, and of Asia in the IOC, provided a warm glow to proceedings at the 67th OCA Executive Board meeting on Tuesday, September 15. Welcoming the EB members to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, the OCA President, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, said the five Central Asian nations were still relative newcomers to the Olympic Movement but had quickly caught up ground to become key partners in the continent and beyond. “Although they started late they play a very main role,” he said. “In 2011, Kazakhstan hosted the 7th Asian Winter Games in Astana and Almaty, and in 2017 we will have the 5th AIMAG here in Ashgabat. The Central Asian NOCs have given us a lot
of effort for our athletes and our youth,” he said. With the 2011-2015 OCA cycle coming to a conclusion, Sheikh Ahmad added: “I am very happy to have worked with you for the last four years. It was very successful and we built a big history.” Sheikh Ahmad was referring to the fact that Asia will host a hattrick of Olympic Games, following Rio 2016 next summer. “In Asia we have the next two Olympic Winter Games - PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 - and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020,” he said. “Our cooperation and solidarity shows to all the other continents that Asia deserves to be the host of such big international events. This is the development of Asia.”
OCA Finance Committee celebrates success of Vision 2014
The success of the OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 Programme was a major talking point at the OCA Finance Committee meeting at the Sport Hotel in Ashgabat on Monday, September 14. The meeting, chaired by Chinese Taipei NOC Secretary General Dr Kevin Kuo I-Chen, heard that the seven-year programme had produced outstanding results at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, in 2014. Vision 2014 athletes went home with seven medals, including one gold for Cambodia’s Sorn Seavmey in taekwondo, propelling her to national hero overnight.
to create a more balanced distribution of medals at the 2014 Asiad. Members heard that 33 NOCs had taken part in Vision 2014, with approximately 700 athletes and 300 coaches benefitting from the various programmes.
The programme was initiated by OCA in association with Incheon Metropolitan City for the period 2007-2014. Backed by a fund of US$20 million over the seven years, Vision 2014 offered a series of programmes, including training camps in Korea, coach dispatch and equipment supply, to the smaller NOCs in a bid Page
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Members of the OCA Finance Committee.
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Sporting Asia’s eight-page special on the 34th OCA General Assembly - Ashgabat 2015.
Turkmenistan Time Ashgabat becomes major player in OCA
OCA President re-elected
OCA Secretary General stands down New OCA Executive Board
34th OCA General Assembly
Carry on Mr. President
Sheikh Ahmad re-elected unopposed for four more years Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was re-elected President of the Olympic Council of Asia for a new four-year term, 20152019, at the 34th OCA General Assembly in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on September 16.
“Thank you for the trust and the commitment and the new responsibility you are giving to me,” Sheikh Ahmad told the delegates. “I hope I will be always as you thought, and keep the solidarity and unity in the house and in the continent
and provide the best environment for the athletes. The communication channels are always open.”
the positions, with the name of only one candidate being put forward to the General Assembly - and approved.
Sheikh Ahmad, who became OCA President in 1991, said cooperation and vision were trademarks of the OCA, enabling the NOCs to follow the roadmap for the future. He stressed that the focus of this new four-year term would be youth and technology.
The 34th OCA General Assembly had opened the previous evening with a stirring speech from the President of Turkmenistan, HE Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
velop the Olympic Movement in his country and region. He also spoke of the government’s policy to build sports facilities throughout the country, not only to produce elite athletes to represent their flag in international multi-sport events but also to promote a healthy lifestyle among the citizens of all ages.
In the vast main training hall of the Olympic Complex, the President described the hosting of the OCA General Assembly as a major international event that would further de-
To show his appreciation of the efforts of President Gurbanguly in the international sports movement, Sheikh Ahmad presented him with the ANOC Merit Award.
This solidarity and unity within the OCA meant that there were no elections for any of
Oceania joins forces with
OCA for historic GA
The 34th OCA General Assembly made history by involving the NOCs of Oceania, led by the President of ONOC, Dr Robin Mitchell. Not only did the GA give the Oceania NOCs an insight into the workings of the OCA, it also gave delegates a chance to see the new 5 billion USD Olympic Complex being constructed for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in 2017, when Oceania will compete alongside the Asian NOCs. Dr Mitchell said there were 17 full member NOCs present, making 62 in total with the OCA’s 45
The OCA President at The 34th OCA General Assembly. Page
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NOCs, plus a further seven associate member NOCs of Oceania. “On behalf of ONOC I would like to thank the OCA President for this initiative and for his support, and also the President of Turkmenistan for the wonderful arrangements for this General Assembly,” said Dr Mitchell. “We are looking forward to competing against the Asian athletes at AIMAG 2017. It is a new challenge for us and I am sure it will inspire and motivate the Oceania NOCs. Congratulations on the magnificent sports facilities you are building here in Ashgabat,” said Dr Mitchell.
Dr. Robin Mitchell, Sheikh’s right-hand man.
34th OCA General Assembly
Hangzhou to host 19th Asian Games in 2022
The signing ceremony is complete.
The Asian Games will be returning to China in 2022 after the 34th OCA General Assembly appointed Hangzhou as the host city for the 19th edition of the OCA’s showpiece event. Hangzhou - located on the coast of South East China and famous for its scenic West Lake, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - was the only candidate to make a presentation to the General Assembly. But with China’s vast experience and expertise in organising major international sports events, OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah knows the 2022 Asian Games are in safe and capable hands. “I have visited China and had the honour
Location:
to meet with the President, His Excellency Xi Jinping,” Sheikh Ahmad said. “China always shows their intention to help the movement, the athletes and the youth. China’s Asian Games
Year
City
1990
Beijing
2010
Guangzhou
2022
Hangzhou
“The city government, provincial government and central government are fully supportive of Hangzhou’s bid to host the 19th Asian Games in 2022, and with the marketing potential and commitment of
the Alibaba Group I think this will achieve our goals.” Based in Hangzhou, the e-commerce giant Alibaba - led by founder and chairman Jack Ma - has pledged the support of its 40,000 employees to the success of the Games. The proposed dates are September 10-25, 2022, and Hangzhou will host between 36 and 40 sports. Thirty venues exist already, 10 are under construction and another four venues are in the planning stage. The Hangzhou delegation was led by His Excellency Liu Peng, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and China’s Sports Minister.
All about Hangzhou South East Coast
Province:
Zhejiang (capital)
Population:
8.9 million
GDP:
Ranked 4th in China
Hotels:
Over 2,000
Main Tourist Site:
West Lake
Asian Games Dates:
September 10-25
September Temperature:
20C
Slogan:
Green, Smart, Economical, Civilised
Hangzhou’s promo booth in Ashgabat. Page
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34th OCA General Assembly
Postcards fro
The OCA President attends the opening ceremony of the two luxurious hotels in the Olympic Complex.
Gymnasts display the Olympic rings during a performance outside the Olympiya Hotel. Page
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Workers at the litter-free Olympic Complex in Ashgabat.
34th OCA General Assembly
om Ashgabat
Colourful Turkmenistan.
The Sport Hotel just before dawn.
The Monorail linking the venues inside the Olympic complex.
Ready for Bake-off: The space-age restaurant inside the Olympic Complex. Page
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34th OCA General Assembly
The OCA Merit Award was presented to Bahrullo Radzhabaliev (Tajikistan), Pang Chung (Hong Kong, China), Chang Ung (DPR Korea) and Ibrahim Ismail Ali (Maldives).
OCA Secretary General stands down after 24 years The Secretary General of the OCA, Raja Randhir Singh, gave his final report to the 34th General Assembly before standing down from a position that will be discontinued in the administrative structure.
Raja Randhir, a six-time Olympian and Asian Games gold medallist in shooting, became OCA Secretary General in 1991. For his long and distinguished service, the popular Indian sportsman was made an Honorary Life Vice President of the OCA. “I have had the pleasure of standing in front of you for the last 24 years and pre-
senting the Secretary General’s report every year,” he said. “It has been a long journey but a very fruitful and memorable one.”
fitting testament to his vision and leadership. I wish him all the best in the future as well.”
Raja Randhir added: “I would personally like to thank my friend and colleague for 24 years, His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, President of OCA, for his support and, most of all, for his friendship. “I think together we have been able to give OCA a new direction. The new stateof-the-art OCA headquarters in Kuwait is a
Dr. Jega’s doping data The Chairman of the OCA Medical Committee and Anti-Doping Commission, Dr Mani Jegathesan, produced some encouraging data from the five multi-sport games held in the 2011-2015 OCA cycle.
Event
Iran, Afghanistan join
Over 2,600 doping tests were conducted during the five events, Dr Jega reported, and only 16 had returned positive for a banned substance. One of the 16 cases had been reversed on appeal.
Number of Athletes
Doping Tests
Positive Cases
Asian Beach Games Haiyang 2012
1,338
316
1
AIMAG Incheon 2013
1,663
259
5
AYG Nanjing 2013
2,314
159
1
Asian Games Incheon 2014
9,501
1,607
7*
Asian Beach Games Phuket 2014
2,297
275
2
Total:
17,113
2,616
16*
* One of the positive cases was later reversed. Page
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Raja Randhir Singh
Central Asia The OCA’s Central Asia zone has been expanded from five NOCs to seven after the General Assembly approved the transfer of Iran and Afghanistan from West Asia and South Asia, respectively, based on cultural and geographical factors. They will join Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, and make it more practical for the zone to organise sports events and activities with seven member NOCs.
34th OCA General Assembly OCA makes progress in gender equality Gender equality across all levels of sport – from the boardroom to the competition arena – is one of the prime concerns of the Olympic Movement. In Asia, steady progress is being made, according to the Chairperson of the OCA’s Women and Sport Committee, Natalya Sipovich.
women. Again the percentage of women has increased.” Mrs Sipovich told the delegates: “Let me assure you that many Asian NOCs and
Sport Federations have taken concrete measures to promote the advancement of women in sport.”
In her report to the 34th OCA General Assembly, Mrs Sipovich said that almost 40 per cent of the 9,501 athletes at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, in 2014 were female: 3,678 compared to 5,823 male athletes, or 38.6 per cent. “The percentage of female athletes at the Incheon Asian Games has grown and approached 40 per cent,” she said. “There were also four women who served as Chef de Mission and 11 as Deputy Chef de Mission. Regarding the accreditation of coaches, administrators and doctors etc, there were 30,296 men and 16,000
Thailand’s Kunsatri Kumsroi (left) and Suphawadee Kaeosrasaen are congratulated by their teammates after winning a bronze medal in the women’s duo (show) at the world ju-jitsu championships in Bangkok on November 22.
Olympic champion Murofushi to lead OCA Athletes Committee The OCA has a new Executive Board in place for the 2015-2019 cycle, and the Ashgabat appointments include that of Koji Murofushi as Chairman of the Athletes’ Committee.
The 41-year-old Japanese sporting icon, who won Olympic gold in the hammer throw at Athens 2004, succeeds another Japanese, Yuko Arakida.
Committee, following in the footsteps of IOC member Rita Subowo. The new Chairman of the Education Committee is HRH Prince Abdul Hakim Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee. China’s Wei Jizhong, OCA Hon. Life Vice President, will head the Ethics Committee.
Murofushi is also Sports Director of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Organising Committee, and holds several other high-level posts in Japan and the global Olympic Movement. In other news, Korea’s Moon Dae-sung, Olympic taekwondo champion at Athens 2004, will head the new Entourage Committee, while Mongolia NOC President Dr Demchigjav Zagdsuren takes over from Iran’s long-serving Bahram Afsharzadeh as Chairman of the Information and Statistics Committee. Song Luzeng, Secretary General of the Chinese Olympic Committee, succeeds China’s Zhang Jilong as Sports Committee Chairman, while the President of Bhutan NOC, HRH Prince Jigyel Wangchuck, is the new Chairman of the International Relations NOTE: For the full list of OCA EB members for 2015-2019, please see page 20.
Koji Murofushi swings into action. Photo credit: http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/japan/koji-murofushi-1241
Page
19
34th OCA General Assembly OCA Executive Board 2015-2019 No.
Position
Name
Country
NOC
1:
President
H.H. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah
Kuwait
KUW
2:
Vice President - East Asia
Mr. Timothy Tsun Ting Fok
Hong Kong, China
HKG
3:
Vice President - Central Asia
Mr. Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov
Kazakhstan
KAZ
4:
Vice President - South Asia
Lt. Gen. Syed Arif Hasan
Pakistan
PAK
5:
Vice President - South East Asia
Maj. Gen. Charouck Arirachakaran
Thailand
THA
6:
Vice President - West Asia
H.E. Sheikh Issa Bin Rashid Al-Khalifa
Bahrain
BRN
7:
Vice President - Jakarta AG & AYG
Mrs. Rita Subowo
Indonesia
INA
8:
Vice President - Ashgabat AIMAG 2017
Mr. Sapardurdy Toylyyev
Turkmenistan
TKM
9:
Vice President - Da Nang ABG 2016
Prof. Hoang Vinh Giang
Vietnam
VIE
10:
Vice President - Sapporo AWG 2017
Mr. Tsunekazu Takeda
Japan
JPN
11:
Vice President - ANOC
Mr. Yu Zaiqing
China
CHN
12:
Life Vice President
Mr. Wei Jizhong
China
CHN
13:
Life Vice President
Raja Randhir Singh
India
IND
14:
Honorary Vice President
Mr. Hemasiri Fernando
Sri Lanka
SRI
Standing Committee
Name
Country
NOC
1:
Athletes Committee
Mr. Koji Murofushi
Japan
JPN
2:
Entourage Committee
Mr. Dae Sung Moon
Korea
PKR
3:
Culture Committee
Mr. Mohammad Ali Al Kamali
UAE
UAE
4:
Education Committee
H.R.H. Prince Abdulhakim Bin Mosaa
Saudi Arabia
KSA
5:
Finance Committee
Kevin Kuo-I Chen
Chinese Taipei
TPE
6:
Information and Statistics Committee
Dr. Demchigjav Zagdsuren
Mongolia
MGL
7:
Media Committee
Mr. Charles King Chiu Lo
Macau
MAC
8:
Medical Committee
Dr. M. Jegathesan
Malaysia
MAS
9:
Rules Committee
Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah
Kuwait
KUW
10:
Sports and Environment Committee
Mr. Kyung Sung Yu
Korea
PKR
11:
Sports Committee
Mr. Song Luzeng
China
CHN
12:
Sports for All Committee
Brig Gen Mowaffak Joumaa
Syrian A.R.
SYR
13:
Women and Sports Committee
Mrs. Natalya Sipovich
Kazakhstan
KAZ
14:
Advisory Committee
Mr. Ser Miang NG
Singapore
SIN
15:
Coordination Committee
Mr. Tsunekazu Takeda
Japan
JPN
16:
International Relations Committee
H.R.H. Prince Jigyel Wangchuck
Bhutan
BHU
17:
Peace Through Sports Committee
H.R.H. Prince Faisal Al Hussein
Jordan
JOR
18:
Ethics Committee
Mr. Wei Jizhong
China
CHN
19:
EB Member
H.R.H. Prince Sufri Bolkiah
Brunei
BRU
20:
EB Member
Mr. Kieumers Hashemi
I.R. of Iran
IRI
21:
EB Member
Mr. Mirabor Usmanov
Uzbekistan
UZB
22:
EB Member
Mr. Raad Hammoudi
Iraq
IRQ
23:
Honorary EB Member
Genl. Souhail Khoury
Lebanon
LIB
24:
Honorary EB Member
Mr. Zhang Jilong
China
CHN
25:
Honorary EB Member
Mr. Habib Abdul Nabi Macki
Oman
OMA
26:
Director General & Technical Director
Mr. Husain Al Musallam
Kuwait
KUW
No.
Page
20
Games Update Danang 2016
Danang prepares complete and compact Vietnam experience Organisers of the OCA’s 5th Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam, plan to turn the vast sea front into a carnival for athletes and spectators alike. The Beach Games, which will run from September 24 to October 3, 2016, will operate four venue clusters within a nine-kilometre stretch of the East Sea coast.
ing Dragon Bridge over the Han River, so a complete and compact Vietnam experience awaits the 5,000 participants.
sport basis, reducing the costs of transportation and contributing to the friendly spirit of the Beach Games concept.
The athletes and officials will be accommodated in hotels as close to their competition ven ues as possible on a sport-by-
Cultural performances, music and dance, and family-oriented activities along the coast will add to the festivities during
Sports and Disciplines for 5 th ABG Disciplines: 22
Events: 172
1: aquatics (marathon swimming and water polo)
2: athletics
3: beach kabaddi
4: beach soccer
5: beach volleyball 6: beach handball 7: 3x3 basketball
8: beach sepaktakraw 9: beach martial arts
(wrestling, sambo, jujitsu, kurash, pencak silat, vovinam, muay thai, traditional Vietnamese combat)
10: beach shuttlecock 11: beach petanque
The city centre - with its markets, museums, pagodas and cathedral - is just a few minutes away, across the eye-catch-
12: beach bodybuilding 13: beach woodball
14: coastal rowing.
Note: Beach squash is also being considered and may be added to the programme.
Selfie souvenir in Danang.
Five-point promo plan already underway
Led by OCA Hon. Life Vice President Wei Jizhong, the CC members discussed cash flow, human resources, the publication
The organising committee will be based in the capital Hanoi until May 31, but will move to Danang from June 1 for three months of intense preparation.
Sports: 14
The area is already a hive of activity with tourists and locals alike, playing beach sports, diving through the high waves crashing against the shore or eating a leisurely meal at one of the many seafood restaurants along Hoang Sa boulevard.
The OCA Coordination Committee for the 5th Asian Beach Games met for the first time with local organisers at the Novotel Danang on October 6.
Beach Games time.
of handbooks and manuals for NOCs, protocol, marketing and transportation. Mr Wei welcomed the “face to face, people to people” discussions rather than dialogue and budgets on paper, and said he was very confident Danang 2016 would be a great success by working together.
Organsiers presented a fivepoint plan to promote the event at home and abroad:
malls, public buildings, buses, tax-
Phase
beach soccer, beach sepaktakraw
uary
1
(September
2016):
2015-Jan-
International
press
conference and countdown clock;
is; international press conference;
community events; test events in beach volleyball, beach handball,
and other sports from June 15 to August 30.
“Danang welcomes ABG 5” social media campaign.
Phase 2 (October 2015-March 2016):
Games promotion during Clipper Race Sailing Competition, “Fan-
tastic Danang Week” and Culture Exchange Fair.
Phase 3 (March-May): Celebrate the 70th annual Vietnam Sports Day on
March 27 and 41st annual Danang City Liberation Day with bicycle rally and 35,000 posters and flyers to hotels, resorts and public areas.
Promoting Danang 2016.
Phase 4 (June 1-September 1): Post-
er and panel campaign in shopping
Phase 5 (September 1-October 5): Installation of info screens at major
intersections, squares, parks, main streets, airport and train stations;
print 100,000 ABG guidebooks in cooperation with Danang City
Tourism.
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21
Games Updates Sapporo 2017
Winter Games organisers anounce key dates 2017
The OCA conducted a Coordination Committee Follow-up Meeting with organisers of the 8th Asian Winter Games at the Sapporo Grand Hotel on Thursday, October 8. The Secretary General of organising committee SAWGOC, Noriaki Ikushima, together with the Director General, Hiroshi Abe, and more than 50 staff members attended the meeting. The OCA delegation, led by OCA Life Vice President Wei Jizhong, received progress reports on eight major areas of Games preparation, including a timeline of key dates:
January 19: Deadline for Entry by Name; February 19: Opening Ceremony; February 26: Closing Ceremony. Note: There will be 64 events in five sports and 11 disciplines at Sapporo 2017: skiing (ski jumping, cross country, alpine, freestyle and snowboard), skating (speed skating, short track and figure skating), ice hockey, curling and biathlon. Around 1,500 athletes from 30 NOCs are expected to take part.
In his closing remarks, Mr Wei said: “The large number of SAWGOC staff attending this meeting shows the smooth progress and preparation. OCA is confident that the 2017 Sapporo Asian Winter Games will be a success. With the advanced technology available, I hope Sapporo will present a new and creative Winter Games to the OCA.” The OCA delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor of Sapporo, His Excellency Katsuhiro Akimoto, who is President of SAWGOC, after the meeting.
2016
Mid-February: Send invitations to 45 NOCs and Entry by Sport/Discipline forms; March 31: Deadline for Entry by Sport/ Discipline; Mid-April: Chef de Mission Seminar; October 22: Distribute Entry by Number forms; November 19: Deadline for Entry by Number; December 21: Distribute Entry by Name forms.
SAWGOC Secretary General Noriaki Ikushima updates Sapporo 2017 preparations in the 34th OCA General Assembly.
Ezomon enjoys Olympic Day Run The mascot of the 8th Asian Winter Games, Ezomon, has been out and about promoting Sapporo 2017 at sports, social and business events in recent weeks. On September 6, Ezomon joined the Japanese Olympic Committee’s Olympic Day Run 2015 at the Shibetsu City Athletic Stadium in eastern Hokkaido. The event – and the presence of Ezomon – attracted 1,644 participants of all ages, jogging and walking alongside eight Olympians and Paralympians including Olympic Movement Ambassador Tsugiharu Ogiwara (Nordic Combined) and Hanae Ito (swimming).
In other news: SAWGOC had to cancel the 500 Days to Go event, planned to be held at the JR Sapporo Station South Exit Square on October 8, due to bad weather.
rong Point, the largest shopping centre in Singapore, for 10 days from August 28 to September 6. Organised by Sapporo City, the food fair gave SAWGOC the perfect opportunity to promote the AWG to Singaporeans with a taste for Japan.
SAWGOC promoted the Sapporo Asian Winter Games at the annual Consumption Rise Fair 2015 held at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market on September 13.
Ezomon attended the Building Maintenance Human Fair at Sapporo Convention Centre on September 15-16 and promoted the Winter Games to delegates from home and abroad, including Korea, Taiwan, China (Shanghai), Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mongolia. The Hokkaido Gourmet Food Fair was held at Ju-
Ezomon has fun at the Olympic Day Run. Photo credit: Studio Yumemonogatari © Yoichi Okuyama
Page
22
Games Updates Ashgabat 2017
Olympic Complex takes shape for AIMAG5 The 34th OCA General Assembly in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, gave delegates the perfect opportunity to see the new Olympic Complex being built for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017 and beyond.
Phase one of construction is already complete; phase two will be finished this December and phase three by March 2017 – fully six months before AIMAG5 and plenty of time for test events.
At a cost of 5 billion US$, the complex will cover 157 hectares and boast 30 sports venues and other infrastructure, all connected by a monorail and series of mini-stations near the key locations.
With 21 sports on the programme in 13 world-class competition venues, organis-
ers are expecting 8,500 athletes and officials from 62 NOCs - 45 from the OCA and 17 from Oceania in a joint cooperation between two of the five Olympic rings. In addition there will be 2,000 media and 1,500 technical officials. Proposed dates are September 15-24, 2017.
The monorail gives the vast complex the look of a theme park, and it is sure to attract visitors of all ages to this sporting wonderland when the three-phase construction is complete. The marquee venue is the Olympic Stadium, with a capacity of 45,000. A basketball arena will accommodate 15,000 spectators, while other main venues include a velodrome (6,000), aquatics centre (5,000), indoor athletics stadium (5,000), wrestling arena (5,000) and indoor tennis courts (4,000).
The Olympic Complex is under construction in Ashgabat.
Universities open volunteer centres to serve the Games The 2nd OCA Coordination Committee meeting for AIMAG5 took place at the Olympiya Hotel in Ashgabat on Monday, September 14.
OCA CC Chairman Tsunekazu Takeda praised the “excellent” infrastructure and said the joint participation of NOCs from the OCA and ONOC would increase the international awareness of the host city and of the AIMAG concept.
am
With two years to go to AIMAG5, the OCA stressed the importance of local human resources – a workforce to run the stadiums and sports events – and encouraged the local organising committee to produce a talent pool of youth to work for the prosperity of the country for years to come.
Organisers reported that 2,000 English-speaking volunteers had been recruited, and between them they could speak 10 Asian languages to serve the teams. The final number of volunteers would be between 8,000 and 10,000, they reported, with several universities already establishing a volunteer centre.
es
an
oor & Mar Ind tia l
A
rt
s
G
anti-doping, protocol and arrival and departure procedures.
TURKMENISTAN
h
A
si
shgabat 2017
5
t
Organisers gave the OCA CC members an update on preparations in several areas, including sports and venues, accommodation and transportation, accreditation,
The 2nd OCA CC meeting in Ashgabat.
Page
23
Games Updates Jakarta-Palembang 2018
Palembang receives OCA recognition as co-host city It’s official! The full title of the 18th Asiad in Indonesia is: The Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games 2018. This ground-breaking decision was announced by the OCA President, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, during the 34th OCA General Assembly in Turkmenistan on September 16. Ground-breaking because it is the first time two host cities for an Asian Games have been recognised in the official title, although the 7th Asian Winter Games in Kazakhstan in 2011 were co-hosted by Almaty and Astana.
Sheikh Ahmad said the co-hosting rights came with three conditions: The opening ceremony on August 18 and closing ceremony on September 2 must be held in Jakarta;
NOTE: Jakarta will host the 3rd Asian Youth Games in 2017 as a test event for the 18th Asian Games the following year. Organisers plan to stage 10 sports.
The main Olympic Village must be in Jakarta;
The 3rd AYG were awarded to Sri Lanka, but the OCA removed the hosting rights due to government interference in the autonomy of the NOC.
The transportation between Jakarta and Palembang must be well organised and efficient due to the large number of Asian Games participants needing to travel between the two cities.
This means both the 3rd AYG and 4th AYG will be staged in Indonesia, as Surabaya – the country’s second largest city – had already been awarded the fourth edition in 2021.
Sheikh Ahmad said the decision to acknowledge Palembang – capital of South Sumatra and a 45-minute flight from Jakarta – along with the nation’s capital in the title was in keeping with the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms of IOC President Thomas Bach, as well as to signify the solidarity of the two hosting cities. With 34 sports on the programme, Palembang will organise around 11 sports, building on their experience of hosting previous multi-sport games, notably the 26th SEA Games in 2011.
Rita Subowo gives a progress report.
New NOC chief for Asian Games preparations Indonesia’s first Asian Games since 1962 will have a new NOC President to oversee the important task of coordinating the two co-host cities of Jakarta and Palembang. Erick Thohir, famous in his homeland and beyond as President of Italian football giants Inter Milan, was elected as the new general chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) in a congress on November 1. He beat his only rival, EF Hamidy, by 59 votes to 46 to succeed Mrs Rita Subowo, who had served as president for eight years. The term of office runs from 2015 to 2019. Page
24
The chairman of the South Sumatra chapter of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), Muddai Madang, withdrew ahead of the election.
Madang was later named as deputy general chairman of the NOC while Dodi Iswandi was named secretary general, with Dasril Anwar as his deputy.
Erick Thohir is the new Indonesia NOC President (Photo: Antara News).
The new NOC President said many challenges lay ahead, the first being to prepare for the Olympic Games in Rio next
year, and called for support and unity at the start of this new era for the Olympic Movement in Indonesia.
News and Sport from 45 NOCs
Afghanistan
The government’s permanent committee on youth and sports affairs met on November 2 in Kabul. The chairman, Mohammad Shaker Kargar, said: “The youth are the builders of the country today and tomorrow, but current circumstances and wars have challenged the government to address problems of the country’s youth.” He asserted that the cabinet’s permanent committee on youth and sports affairs should seek ways to address the challenges and create more opportunities for young people, reports Bakhtar News.
en’s 200m backstroke at the 5th Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, clocking 2 minutes, 39.40 seconds to beat her own previous record of 2:41.12. (www.bruneiolympic.org).
Cambodia
NOCC Secretary General Vath Chamroeun presented 48 items of sports clothing to Yi Veasna, Secretary General of the National Paralympic Committee of Cambodia, for their participation in the 8th SEA Paralympic Games in Singapore. Cambodia will send 30 athletes in five sports. (www.noccambodia.org).
Bahrain
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Bahrain Olympic Committee sports affairs executive director Abduljalil Asad attended the 9th General Assembly of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was announced that the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games will be held in Baku from May 12-22, 2017, with 16 sports. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
China
China's sailing city of Qingdao in eastern Shandong province has Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Olympic Association reports that eight athletes from swimming, archery and boxing have been granted Olympic Solidarity scholarships for Rio 2016. Their training programme began in March 2015.
been recognised for its outstanding contribution to sailing by the International Sailing Federation, reports Xinhua.
Qingdao is the cradle of water sports in the country as well as
the birthplace of China's modern sailing programme. Qingdao
has held many top sailing events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Volvo Ocean Race and Clipper Round the World Race. (www.olympic.cn).
Bhutan
The Bhutan Olympic Committee has announced the names of 10 students selected for the latest BOC/SEA. (Sports Excellence and Achievement) Scholarship. (www.bhutanolympiccommittee.org). N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Brunei Darussalam
The Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council reports that swimmer Ashley Chai, 13, broke the national record in the wom-
DPR Korea
The number of new or renovated sports facilities is growing quickly around the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, reports the Korean Central News Agency from Pyongyang. These include football stadiums, athletics tracks, swimming centres, basketball and volleyball courts and gymnasiums in various provinces, reflecting the enthusiasm for sport among the people. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Page
25
News and Sport from 45 NOCs N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Iraq
Hong Kong, China
The Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China organised an Announcement Press Conference at Olympic House on November 5 to provide details of the Samsung 2015 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards. NOC President Timothy Fok led the VIP guests. The awards ceremony will be held on March 21, 2016. (www.hkolympic.org).
Iraq qualified for the Asian Football Confederation’s Futsal
Championship 2016 from the West Zone, along with Jordan, LebN.O.C.I.R.IRAN
anon and Qatar. The finals tournament will be held next year in Uzbekistan, reports the AFC.
Japan
Japan’s men’s rugby sevens team qualified for Rio 2016 by beating N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Hong Kong 24-10 in the final of the Asian qualifying tournament at
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Hong Kong Stadium on November 8. Japan trailed 10-0 at the break
but scored four unanswered tries in the second half to book Asia’s sole guaranteed place in the 12-team line-up in Brazil next summer.
Jordan
India
London Olympics silver medallist Vijay Kumar won two more medals on the final day of the 13th Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait City to take India's final tally to 44 - 17 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze, reports The Times of India. Vijay won the bronze in the 25m centre fire pistol event and teamed up with veteran Samaresh Jung and Pemba Tamang to bag the team silver in the event. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Indonesia
Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi signed a letter of intent to host the MotoGP in Indonesia in 2017. The Indonesian government’s determination to hold the motor cycling championship is very strong, reports Antara News. The government has been coordinating with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Tourism along with the management of the Sentul International Circuit.
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Nabeel Al Shweiki made history by becoming the first Jordanian to win a medal at a World Karate Federation (WKF) World Junior, Cadet & U21 Karate Championships. The youngster took bronze in the U21 category for the 60kg weight in Indonesia, where more than 1,500 athletes participated. (www.joc.jo) N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Kazakhstan
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Iran
Iranian referee Mohammad Ali Mardani has been awarded the Word Karate Federation’s Golden Whistle for 20 years of fair judgment in international arenas, reports Mehr News Agency. Mardani had previously received the Silver Whistle from the International Referees Commission and became the first Iranian referee to win the Golden Whistle, which is a symbol of fair judgment in WKF. Page
OCA Vice President (Central Asia) Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov used the platform of the 34th OCA General Assembly to congratulate Beijing on winning the bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics ahead of Almaty, Kazakhstan. He also noted that the IOC praised the efforts of Almaty and the bid committee, under the leadership of the government of the R. of Kazakhstan. Beijing won the vote 44-40.
26
Korea
A long-time civil servant has been named the new secretary general for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, reports Yonhap News. Yeo Hyung-koo, formerly second vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, was officially appointed as its secretary general on November 9 with immediate effect.
News and Sport from 45 NOCs N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Kuwait
The IOC Executive Board suspended the Kuwait Olympic Committee on October 27 to protect the Olympic Movement in Kuwait from undue government interference. The Olympic Movement in Kuwait has faced a number of issues to preserve its autonomy, in particular due to recently amended sports legislation in Kuwait.
Macau
Macau welcomed China’s multi-talented team of champion divers for three days of promotional activities in September. Led by four-time Olympic champion and eight-time world champion Wu Minxia, the group comprised of 17 athletes, coaches and officials. Wu is pictured with Macau NOC President Charles Lo.
The IOC, in close collaboration with ASOIF, ANOC, the OCA and the International Federations concerned, has done everything possible to resolve the situation amicably and in the interest of the Olympic Movement in Kuwait, the IOC said in a statement on www.olympic.org. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz athlete Darya Maslova has booked her ticket for Rio 2016, the press service of the State Agency of Physical Culture and Sports of the Kyrgyz Republic reports from Bishkek. Maslova became the third athlete from Kyrgyzstan to qualify for Rio after finishing second in the 10km race in the Open Athletics Championships of Uzbekistan with a time of 32 minutes, 14 seconds, reports Kabar News.
Laos
The NOC reports that it made three contributions from a special
fund to National Federations and Provinces: to Vientiane capital
Malaysia
The OCM wishes to congratulate Dato’ Karim Ibrahim, President of the Malaysian Athletics Federation, on his appointment as the Asian Athletics Association representative to the International Association of Athletics Federation Council. Dato’ Karim Ibrahim is the first Malaysian to be a member of the IAAF Council.
city for renovating a sports field, and to the Lao Table Tennis
Federation and Lao Wrestling Federation for paying an annual subscription.
Maldives
Lebanon
The Beirut Marathon kicked off at 6am on Sunday, November 8, from various points amidst strict security measures for the masses of participants and cheering crowds. The marathon consisted of the main 42km race, a women's race, youth race and half marathon, reports the National News Agency.
The Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee, Marzooq Ahmed, has been appointed as the Asian representative on the Commonwealth Games Federation's Sports Committee. This new role reflects the increasing influence and dynamism of the Olympic Movement in Maldives at regional, continental and global level. Page
27
News and Sport from 45 NOCs Secretary General: Mr. Lama Tendi Sherpa; Treasurer: Mr. Ratan Kumar Tandan; Deputy Secretary General: Mr. Rajiv Shrestha. (www.nocnepal.org.np).
Mongolia
Oman
The NOC reports that the memorial statue of freestyle wrestler Dugarsuren Oyunbold, double bronze medallist at the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games and Mexico 1978 World Championships, has been unveiled in his hometown of Sukhbaatar in the northern Selenge province. He also won 12 national championship titles, becoming the nationwide record holder.
Under the auspices of HE Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed bin Said Al Mardhoof Al Saadi, Minister of Sports Affairs, and in the presence of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Zubair, Chairman of Oman Olympic Committee, a Sport and Environment Seminar was held on Wednesday, October 21. The seminar was organised by the NOC’s Oman Sport and Environment Committee under the theme “Towards Sustainable Environmental Sport”. (www. omanolympic.org.om).
Myanmar
The 10th Asian Continental BMX Championships, held in Nay Pyi Taw on October 31, not only provided a day of exciting international competition; it was also the first cycling event ever held in Myanmar with official endorsement from the sport’s governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI), reports the Myanmar Times.
Nepal
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
The Elective General Assembly of the Nepal Olympic Committee was held on September 3, 2015 and the following officers were elected: President: Mr. Jeevan Ram Shrestha; Vice Presidents: Mr. Purendra Bikram Lakhe; Ms. Jyoti Rana; Mr. Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan; Mr. Rajendra Bantawa; Page
28
Pakistan
Pakistan Olympic Association President Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan told an NOC conference on the promotion and development of sport in Pakistan that revolutionary and modern steps were needed if Pakistan wanted to win medals in the international arena and compete with other nations. (www.nocpakistan.org).
News and Sport from 45 NOCs
Palestine
Sri Lanka
The first grassroots football course to be held in Gaza since the Palestinian Football Federation joined FIFA in 1998 came to an end on October 2. For five days, at the Islamic University of Gaza’s stadium, some 30 local coaches took part in practical and theoretical training in the areas of football coaching and organisation in order to acquire the necessary technical tools to run self-sufficient grassroots projects in cooperation with the PFF. A festival with the participation of Gaza children ended the course. (www.fifa.com). N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
On the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly in Washington DC, Sri Lanka NOC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Olympic Committee for sports development, cultural exchange, cooperation on elite athlete development and scientific research on sports development. The MoU was signed by Ms. Anastasia Davydova, Secretary General, on behalf of the Russian Olympic Committee and by Mr. Maxwell de Silva, Secretary General, Sri Lanka NOC. (www.srilankaolympic.org)
Philippines
Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. is hoping for the help of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao in recruiting a top-level coach to train Filipinos for crucial Olympic qualifying tournaments next year for Rio 2016, reports the Manila Bulletin. (www.olympic.ph).
Qatar
The International Sport Management Course (Level 2) organised by the Qatar Olympic Academy in collaboration with the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity was successfully concluded on Sunday, November 15. The course brought together a number of elite trainees from the Qatar Olympic Committee, local sports clubs and federations and Qatar University to learn about the role of sports organisations in the Olympic Movement. (www.olympic.qa). Syria Saudi Arabia
Prince Abdullah bin Musaed bin Abdulaziz, General President of Youth Welfare, received at his office in Riyadh on November 11 the Deputy Leader of Japan’s ruling party, Masahiko Komura. The deep relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Japan in various fields, particularly in the domains of youth and sports, reports the Saudi Press Agency. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Syrian athlete Mohamad Khaled Mohamad won a silver medal in the javelin at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, with a throw of 41.85 metres. His world record remains at 43.05 metres, set at the Sao Paulo Athletics Open Championships in April as part of the 2015 IPC Athletics Grand Prix. He also competes in the shot put, reports the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Singapore
Fitness First has announced a three-year, S$1.3 million sponsorship deal with the Singapore National Olympic Council to support 200 Team Singapore athletes on their path to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in 2018. With this partnership, Fitness First will become the official fitness partner of the SNOC. (www.singaporeolympics.com).
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News and Sport from 45 NOCs N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Chinese Taipei
In support of the Athlete Career Planning and Transition Programme initiated by the NOC in conjunction with the IOC, Caesar Park Taipei Hotel has announced 100 job openings for retired Chinese Taipei athletes. The hotel chain is owned by Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee President Hong-Dow Lin. On the morning of November 3, 16 former Olympic and Asian Games athletes underwent an interview at the hotel, and four of them were offered job opportunities as a baker, public relations officer, housekeeping management trainee and receptionist intern. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Olympic Solidarity-funded technical course in Ashgabat from November 1-10. The first-level course was conducted by IAAF lecturers Yevgeniy Shumarin (Tajikistan) and Larisa Ivshina (Kazakhstan), reports the State News Agency of Turkmenistan.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE NOC has announced the organising committee of the National Sports Day, which has the theme: “UAE Unites Us.” It comprises HE Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health, HE Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, Vice President of the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, HE Mohammed Al Kamali, Secretary General of the NOC, and Shaima Al Zaraouni, Executive Director of the Emirates Foundation for Humanitarian Services. (www.uaenoc.net)
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
The famous sportsman from Tajikistan, Jahon Kurbanov, won a bronze medal in the 91kg division of the Asian Boxing Championships in Thailand in September, reports the press service of the NOC. Kurbanov lost to Vasily Levit (Kazakhstan) in the semi-finals, Asia-Plus reports from Dushanbe. N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Thailand
The NOC received from the International Canoe Federation a continental support grant for two athletes to attend the ICF Canoe Slalom Talent Identification Programme training camp in the hopes of qualifying for Rio 2016.
Uzbekistan’s national boxing team won three silver and three bronze medals - and four Olympic tickets to Rio 2016 - at the XVIII World Boxing Championships in Doha, Qatar, attended by 260 athletes from over 70 countries, reports the Uzbekistan National News Agency. Murodjon Ahmadaliev (56 kg), Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (64 kg) and Bektemir Melikuziev (75 kg) won silver medals and a place in Rio, while bronze medal-winner Elnur Abduraimov (60kg) also booked his place in Brazil thanks to a last-day play-off victory.
Timor-Leste
Prime Minister Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo and his delegation concluded a successful visit to Cuba in October and noted the strong relationship that has existed between Timor-Leste and Cuba since diplomatic relations were established on the day of Timor-Leste’s restoration of independence - May 20, 2002. Cuba has been a major supporter of Timor-Leste’s development, particularly in the areas of health, education and sport, reports the Government of Timor-Leste official website.
Vietnam
Vietnam’s Singapore SEA Games champion Truong Thi Phuong, 16, won gold in the C1-500m and silver in the C-1 200m at the Asian Canoeing Junior Championships in Indonesia, reports the General Department of Sports and Physical Training. (Thanh Nien News)
Yemen Turkmenistan
The NOC hosted a presentation of IAAF certificates to 20 leading track and field coaches and athletes who mastered a 10-day, Page
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Al Tilal represented Yemen in the prestigious Arab Club Basketball Championship in Dubai, UAE, in November. Fourteen teams from 11 countries took part.
Obituary Ashwini Kumar, IOC Honorary Member in India The IOC announced on October 20 the death of Ashwini Kumar, IOC Honorary Member in India, at the age of 94. Mr Kumar joined the IOC in 1973 and became an Honorary Member in 2000. He was a member of the Executive Board (19801987, 1992-1996), Vice President of the IOC (1983- 1987) and a member of several commissions. A long-serving member of India’s police force, Mr Kumar played an active role in sport in India, particularly in hockey as President of the Indian Hockey Federation
for 16 years and Vice President of the International Hockey Federation for more than 15 years. He also headed the Indian hockey delegation at the Olympic Games in 1964 and 1968. In addition, Kumar was President of the Indian Basketball Federation and President of the Punjab Olympic Association for 12 years. Kumar left his mark at the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Asian Games Federation and was elected Life President of the Indian Olympic Association.
Beth Coalter
Tan Kim Bee
Tan Kim Bee, who won silver and bronze medals in weightlifting for Malaysia at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in the 1950s, passed away peacefully on November 3, aged 86. He was also the flagbearer for Malaysia at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956.
Mr Tan was an elite athlete who also excelled in studies. He graduated as a mining engineer from Dunedin University under a Federal Scholarship in the early 1950s. He retired as the Director General of the Mines Department Malaysia in 1984.
Edwin Chong The Hong Kong Rugby Union and Hong Kong rugby community are in mourning over the loss of Beth Coalter, one of the most prominent personalities in local rugby history and one of the most influential women in all of world rugby. Prior to her joining World Rugby as Sevens Operations Manager, Beth worked for the HKRU for nearly 20 years from 1987 to 2005. She arrived in Hong Kong in 1974 and joined the HKRU in 1987, rising from secretary to the position of HKRU Hong Kong Sevens Tournament Manager. “The Hong Kong rugby community and indeed the world
rugby family has lost a key member with Beth’s passing, but we continue to take hope and inspiration from her tireless professionalism, passion, dedication and, above all, warmth,” said Pieter Schats, Chairman of Hong Kong Rugby Union, in a statement on October 23. “Her contribution to the success of both the Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong rugby cannot be underestimated, and her legacy can be seen in the vibrancy of our community and the global growth of the Sevens game she loved so dearly.”
His last assignment with the OCM was in 2014 when he was appointed team manager of the diving team to the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where Malaysia won an historical first gold medal in men’s diving.
The Olympic Council of Malaysia announced the passing of leading diving official Edwin Chong, who died peacefully on October 10. He was 65. Mr Chong was a member of the OCM Executive Council from 1997. He was elected to the OCM Executive Board for the term 2013-2015 as Assistant Secretary General.
He contributed a lot towards the development of diving in Malaysia and South East Asia since 1998 and was responsible for many FINA events being held in the SEA region. He was appointed Technical Delegate for the SEA Games diving competition on many occasions and was also a qualified/ accredited FINA diving referee, officiating at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and numerous World Championships. Page
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OCA Sports Diary 2015
Paralympic Games Rio de janeiro, Brazil: September 7-18
IOC Executive Board Lausanne, Switzerland: December 8
5th Asian Beach Games Danang, Vietnam: September 24 - October 3
2016
21st ANOC General Assembly and Gala Awards Doha, Qatar: November (dates to be confirmed)
12th South Asian Games Guwahati & Shillong, India: February 6-16
2nd Winter Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer, Norway: February 12-21
2017
8th Asian Winter Games Sapporo, Japan: February 19 – 26
IOC Executive Board Lausanne, Switzerland: March 1
3rd Asian Youth Games Jakarta, Indonesia: (dates to be confirmed)
6th IOC Coordination Commission for 2018 Winter Olympics PyeongChang, Korea: March 14
29th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: August 19-31
IOC Coordination Commission for 2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: April 11 am
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IOC Executive Board Lausanne, Switzerland: June 1
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6th Children of Asia International Sports Games Yakutsk, Russian Federation: July 5-17
5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: September 15-24 1st ANOC World Beach Games San Diego, USA: September 29-October 9
IOC Executive Board Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: August 1
2018
XXIII Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang, Korea: February 09 – 25
129th IOC Session Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: August 2-3
18th Asian Games Jakarta, Indonesia: August 18 - September 02
31st Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: August 5-21
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