ID :
195043
Thu, 07/14/2011 - 13:12
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/195043
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President of the Asian Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah inaugurated the council's 30th General Assembly meeting in Tokyo
TOKYO, July 14 (KUNA) -- President of the Asian Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah inaugurated Thursday the council's 30th General Assembly meeting in Tokyo, which brought together representatives from all the 45 National Olympic Committees in the Asian continent.
The highlight of the one-day meeting is the election of new Executive Board members that include seats of a secretary-general, five regional vice-presidents and chairpersons of standing committees. The general assembly is expected to re-elect the incumbent chief Sheikh Ahmad for a new sixth term.
Also high on agendas are progress reports on the preparation for the 3rd Asian Beach Games in China's Hayang in 2012, the 2nd A sian Youth Games in China's Nanjing in 2013, the 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2013 and the 17th Asian Games in 2014, both in the South Korean city of Incheon.
According to the Incheon Organizing Committee, the 2014 Asian Games will feature 36 sports games -- 28 Olympic games and eight non-Olympic games, including baseball, bowling, cricket, karate and wushu.
At the beginning of the gathering, Sheikh Ahmad and all the participants offered a minute of silence for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that left about 21,000 people dead or missing in Japan.
The OCA chief congratulated the South Korean city of Pyeongchang for winning the bid to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and pledged full support to the Pyeongchang organizing committee and the South Korean Olympic Committee.
Sheikh Ahmad also praised organizing committees of the successful staging of the 16th Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou, the 2nd Asian Beach Games 2010 in Muscat and the 7th Asian Winter Games 2011 in Astana and Almaty.
In addition, he underscored the successful 1st Asian Youth Games held in Singapore two years ago, noting that the event was the first-ever multi-sports competitions took place in Singapore. He also put a great expectation on the 2nd Asian Youth Games in Nanjing for a better and bigger success after "the magnificent" Singapore Games.
IOC President Jacques Rogge said in his speech, "Since my last visit to OCA headquarters in Kuwait last year. I have seen three major Asian sports event, which all produced great success," referring to the OCA-hosted games in Guangzhou, Muscat and Astana-Almaty.
Rogge also underlined close relations between the IOC and OCA, and renewed his full support towards the success of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the Olympic Movement in Asia.
For his part, Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Yoshiaki Takaki lauded OCA's outstanding contribution s to the promotion of sports and peace in Asia in the past two decades.
"The history of OCA overlaps Asian sport history and its development," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmad expressed satisfaction with the OCA's financial situations over the past four years. "Despite the recent global financial crisis, our council enjoys a sound fiscal condition. I am proud that our fiscal situation is better than any international finance houses. Moreover, our investment programs for the next four years are expected to produce more profits," he added.
On this occasion, seven Asian figures were honored at the Assembly including Japan's Jigoro Kano, the first IOC member from Asia, and Japan Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda.
The Kuwait-based OCA was founded in 1982. Sheikh Ahmad has been OCA President and an IOC member since 1992. Comprising 45 National Olympic Committees in the Asian continent, the OCA is one of five continental associations under the umbre lla of the IOC and controls all the sports in Asia.
The other four represent Africa, Europe, Pan-America, and Oceania.
The council organizes six major events for the member states -- Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Indoor Games, Asian Beach Games, Asian Martial Arts Games, and Asian Youth Games.
It also provides financial and technical support for the Asian countries which are locked in trouble and problems that impede their sports programs and activities.
The highlight of the one-day meeting is the election of new Executive Board members that include seats of a secretary-general, five regional vice-presidents and chairpersons of standing committees. The general assembly is expected to re-elect the incumbent chief Sheikh Ahmad for a new sixth term.
Also high on agendas are progress reports on the preparation for the 3rd Asian Beach Games in China's Hayang in 2012, the 2nd A sian Youth Games in China's Nanjing in 2013, the 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2013 and the 17th Asian Games in 2014, both in the South Korean city of Incheon.
According to the Incheon Organizing Committee, the 2014 Asian Games will feature 36 sports games -- 28 Olympic games and eight non-Olympic games, including baseball, bowling, cricket, karate and wushu.
At the beginning of the gathering, Sheikh Ahmad and all the participants offered a minute of silence for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that left about 21,000 people dead or missing in Japan.
The OCA chief congratulated the South Korean city of Pyeongchang for winning the bid to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and pledged full support to the Pyeongchang organizing committee and the South Korean Olympic Committee.
Sheikh Ahmad also praised organizing committees of the successful staging of the 16th Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou, the 2nd Asian Beach Games 2010 in Muscat and the 7th Asian Winter Games 2011 in Astana and Almaty.
In addition, he underscored the successful 1st Asian Youth Games held in Singapore two years ago, noting that the event was the first-ever multi-sports competitions took place in Singapore. He also put a great expectation on the 2nd Asian Youth Games in Nanjing for a better and bigger success after "the magnificent" Singapore Games.
IOC President Jacques Rogge said in his speech, "Since my last visit to OCA headquarters in Kuwait last year. I have seen three major Asian sports event, which all produced great success," referring to the OCA-hosted games in Guangzhou, Muscat and Astana-Almaty.
Rogge also underlined close relations between the IOC and OCA, and renewed his full support towards the success of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the Olympic Movement in Asia.
For his part, Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Yoshiaki Takaki lauded OCA's outstanding contribution s to the promotion of sports and peace in Asia in the past two decades.
"The history of OCA overlaps Asian sport history and its development," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmad expressed satisfaction with the OCA's financial situations over the past four years. "Despite the recent global financial crisis, our council enjoys a sound fiscal condition. I am proud that our fiscal situation is better than any international finance houses. Moreover, our investment programs for the next four years are expected to produce more profits," he added.
On this occasion, seven Asian figures were honored at the Assembly including Japan's Jigoro Kano, the first IOC member from Asia, and Japan Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda.
The Kuwait-based OCA was founded in 1982. Sheikh Ahmad has been OCA President and an IOC member since 1992. Comprising 45 National Olympic Committees in the Asian continent, the OCA is one of five continental associations under the umbre lla of the IOC and controls all the sports in Asia.
The other four represent Africa, Europe, Pan-America, and Oceania.
The council organizes six major events for the member states -- Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Indoor Games, Asian Beach Games, Asian Martial Arts Games, and Asian Youth Games.
It also provides financial and technical support for the Asian countries which are locked in trouble and problems that impede their sports programs and activities.
