Breaking: Asian Games 2022 has been postponed looking at the current Covid scenario in China. The games were to be held in Hangzhou, China in September this year. China has been experiencing its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began in 2019. No alternative dates have been announced as 2024 is a busy year because of Olympic qualifications. Earlier, plans were to conduct the event in a strict bio-bubble environment. However, due to the size of the game, it will be difficult to manage such a large bio-bubble. OCA’s executive meeting was called. And it collectively came to a decision to postpone the Asian Games 2022.
However, this has raised concerns over the qualifications for Paris Olympics. In sports like hockey, gold medalists in the Asian Games were to be given a direct entry. Moreover, Cricket was to make a return to the 19th Asian Games after 2014. Both Men’s and Women’s teams were to play games in the T20I format. A total of 37 games were planned for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Asian Games 2022 postponed
“Following detailed discussions with the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising 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 10 to 25 September 2022. 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. HAGOC has been very well prepared to deliver the Games on time despite global challenges. However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games. The name and the emblem of the 19th Asian Games will remain unchanged, and the OCA believes that the Games will achieve complete success through the joint efforts of all parties.”
Olympic Council of Asia
The Olympic Council of Asia Executive Board also measured the situational possibilities of the Asian Youth Games. The 3rd Asian Youth Games were to be held in Shantou, China in December 2022. Since the event has earlier been postponed once. The committees have collectively come to a decision to cancel the Youth Games. As a result, the next Asian Youth Games will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2025.
