OCA WELCOMES BACK POPULAR REGIONAL FORUM

The Olympic Solidarity/OCA Regional Forum made a welcome return to the calendar when 42 National Olympic Committees gathered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over four days from December 4-7.

NOCs from West, Central and South Asia joined the first two days of the forum on December 4-5 before the NOCs from South East Asia and East Asia moved in for the second phase to conclude the mission.

The Director of the OCA Asian Games Department, Haider Farman, summed up the general mood of the four-day forum.

“I think everyone has been happy to be back and involved in our regional forum,” he said.

“Nothing compares to meeting face to face and exchanging ideas and information with all our NOC representatives. Everyone has benefited.”

The OS team was led by Edward Kensington, Head of the Olympic Games Universality Unit, Continental Manager for Asia, while the IOC conducted a detailed workshop on NOC management and operations in the build-up to Paris 2024, with best practice examples from several NOCs.

The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee was represented by Abdulaziz Al Baqous, Executive Director for

Nocs Face Busy Year Of Deadlines On Three Fronts

One of the most important aspects of the OS/OCA Regional Forum is to provide the National Olympic Committees with updates and progress reports on the international multi-sport games coming up on the horizon.

The four-day forum in Riyadh was no exception, as NOC delegates were briefed on no fewer than three major games:

19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023

6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Bangkok and Chonburi province, Thailand from November 17-26, 2023

Paris Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

Hangzhou Asian Games organising committee HAGOC sent a big team to Riyadh and made a series of detailed presentations in all key functional areas. The regional forum was the perfect platform for HAGOC to engage with the NOCs after three years of pandemic restrictions and provide a timeline in order to ensure a smooth build-up to the 19th Asian Games.

Regarding covid-19, the message from Hangzhou - nine months out from the 19th Asiad - was that the Asian Games would be free and “truly open” for athletes and officials and without restrictions.

Thai organisers of the AIMAG presented online in both sessions and provided details of the 35 official sports plus two demonstration sports which will have a total of 334 events and 326 gold medals.

Asian Games / AIMAG timeline

Entry by Number – Asian Games

Distribution of Entry by Number forms to NOCs – AIMAG; distribution of Accreditation Application forms and Accreditation Manual to NOCs – AIMAG

OCA Chef de Mission Seminar for 19th Asian Games – Asian Games

Deadline for Accreditation Application – Asian Games

Pre-Delegation Registration Meetings – Asian Games

First Chef de Mission Meeting – AIMAG (date to be announced)

Entry by Name – Asian Games

Second World Press Briefing/Second World Broadcasters Meeting – Asian Games (dates to be announced)

Deadline for HAGOC and NOCs to confirm accreditation data – Asian Games

Deadline for Entry by Number – AIMAG

Deadline for accreditation; distribution of Entry by Name forms to NOCs – AIMAG

HAGOC starts to distribute pre-valid accreditation cards – Asian Games

Draw for team sports – Asian Games (date to be announced)

Validity period for Hangzhou Asian Games Identification and Accreditation Card (HAGIAC) – Asian Games

Asian Games Village pre-opens – Asian Games

Delegation Registration Meetings – Asian Games

Asian Games Village official opening – Asian Games

Deadline for Entry by Name – AIMAG

Opening Ceremony – Asian Games

Distribution of pre-valid accreditation cards to NOCs – AIMAG

Closing Ceremony – Asian Games

Asian Games Village closes – Asian Games

Delegation Registration Meetings – AIMAG

Team Welcome Ceremony – AIMAG

Opening Ceremony – AIMAG

Ceremony – AIMAG

Thailand

Oca Director General Highlights Variety Of Venues

The Olympic Council of Asia conducted the first Coordination Committee meeting for the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Bangkok on Monday, November 14.

The 6th AIMAG, which was originally scheduled for 2021, will take place in Bangkok and Chonburi province from November 17-26, 2023. There will be 35 medal sports, plus two demonstration sports.

The meeting heard that the sports would be staged in a variety of venues, including shopping malls, universities, hotels and in parks as well as designated sports stadiums and arenas – bringing the games to the society.

“This is the beauty about it – combining all these sports venues together,” said the OCA Director General, Husain Al Musallam.

“We have full confidence in the ability of Thailand and the Thai people, the Sports Authority of Thailand and also the National Olympic Committee to host the best Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Bangkok and Chonburi in November 2023. We are working as one team.”

Mr Al Musallam thanked the local organisers for their hard work and commitment during the challenging times of the pandemic and added: “But we are happy now. Sport always brings hope to bring life back to normal, and now we are here gathering together.”

The organising committee delivered presentations on nine major topics, including accreditation, transportation, IT solutions, TV host broadcasting, marketing, medical and anti-doping and the sports programme.

The opening ceremony on November 17 and closing ceremony on November 26 will both be held at the Indoor Stadium Huamark in the grounds of the Sports Authority of Thailand.

The torch relay will run under the theme of “Flame of Hope” to match the Games motto of “Garland of Hope”.

The first day of the two-day Coordination Committee meeting continued with a venue visit in Bangkok on Monday afternoon followed by a two-hour journey on the expressway to Pattaya for the second stage on Tuesday.