Asian Games delayed by 12 months ‘to avoid conflict with other sporting events’. Check new dates here
The Hangzhou Asian Games will now be held from 23 September to 8 October 2023, the Olympic Council of Asia declared
PremiumNEW DELHI : After much deliberation the organizers of the Asian Games have declared that the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games has been postponed till 2023. The Hangzhou Asian Games will now be held from 23 September to 8 October 2023, the orgamisers declared. The games could not be held this year because of Covid-19
The governing Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Tuesday said that after discussing the situation for over two months, they have decided to conduct the Asian Games from September to October in 2023, keeping in mind the altered dates don't clash with any other international games.
This will be the 19th edition of the multi-sports event. The Asian games are the second largest sporting event after summer Olympics. The Hangzhou Asian games 2022 was earlier scheduled to be held from 10-25 September in the capital of Zhejiang province, which is 175 kilometres southwest of China's financial centre Shanghai.
The fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in China has forced the organisers to postpone the Games in May and the OCA Executive Board (EB) subsequently set up a task force to determine new dates. China has been trying to stamp out a large Covid resurgence in several parts of the country
"The task force over the last two months held various discussions with the Chinese Olympic Committee, Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and other stakeholders to find a window for the Games which did not conflict with other major international sporting events," the OCA said in a statement.
"The recommended dates by the task force were duly approved by the OCA EB."
The governing body thanked the Chinese organisers and the government "for their hard work in preparing for the Games during the pandemic and ensuring they can take place next year."
China to host Asian Games 2022
China will host the 2022 Asian Games in autumn 2023, organisers said on Tuesday, after postponing the event in Hangzhou because of Covid-19.
Hangzhou lies less than 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the country's biggest city Shanghai, which endured a months-long lockdown earlier this year as part of the ruling Communist Party's zero-tolerance approach to the virus.
The Hangzhou organising committee vowed to "present a wonderful and marvellous sports and cultural event with Chinese characteristics", in a statement confirming the new dates.
Hangzhou will be the third city in China to host the continental competition after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
Some events are also expected to be held in other provincial cities including Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Shaoxing and Jinhua.
The Asian Games typically attract over 10,000 athletes from across the region.
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