Asian Games is postponed once again due to rising Covid-19 cases in China.
The Olympic Council of Asia postpones the 2022 Asian Games amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in China.
Originally scheduled for September 10-25 in Hangzhou, China, the quadrennial event has been delayed due to coronavirus concerns within the country. China is racing to contain its largest outbreak since the early days of the pandemic.
"Following detailed discussions with the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC), the OCA Executive Board (EB) today decided to postpone the 19th Asian Games, which were scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 10 to 25. The new dates of the 19th Asian Games will be agreed between the OCA, the COC and the HAGOC and announced in the near future," the OCA said in a statement.
The OCA praised the preparation work of the HAGOC and believes the Asian Games will be a "complete success through the joint efforts of all parties." Both the name and the emblem will remain unchanged for the 19th Games.
The event is expected to be pushed back to 2023, though Hangzhou 2022 said in a statement: “The new dates for the Games will be announced after further discussions between the OCA, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC)and HAGOC.”
The World University Games, another major multi-sport event, have also been postponed, organizers said Friday. They were scheduled for last year but were postponed until 2022. They were to take place this year from June 26-July 7 in the western city of Chengdu. About 6,000 athletes were believed to be involved.
Last February, China had successfully conducted the Winter Olympics in Beijing, enforcing strict Covid-19 counter-measures in a “closed-loop” system, similar to Tokyo’s that saw Japan deliver a successful summer Olympics in 2021.
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