INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Olympic Council of Asia&s Acting President, Raja Randhir Singh, has applauded Hangzhou Asian Games& smooth operation and likened the
19th Asian Games to Olympic standards.Halfway through its 20-day run, the event has earned plaudits from the OCA for its record-breaking
performances at sold-out venues, zealous public support and other successes, with credit given to organizers, venue operation staff and
volunteers.&Having seen many Olympic and Asian Games, from my experiences, this edition … has raised the bar
It is as good as—if not even better than—the Olympic Games,& Singh said, after visiting the Asian Games Museum on its opening day on
Thursday.The world-class facilities, especially the Games Village, and the diverse programs have laid a solid foundation for this sports
gala to, in some ways, match next year&s Paris Olympics, Singh said.&The athletes love the Village,& said Singh, who represented India in
shooting at six consecutive Olympics from 1964 to 1984 and at four Asiads from 1978 to 1994.&I&ve stayed in villages many times when I was
And there&s never been a village like this beautiful project
All the National Olympic Committees and all athletes are so happy and satisfied.&I think we are definitely not in any way behind what Paris
will be doing for the Olympics
Our infrastructure in Hangzhou is as good, or maybe even better.&Singh added that the host&s warm reception, as an embodiment of Asian
culture&s friendliness, will ensure Hangzhou Asian Games remain a lifelong memory for all international participants.&That sends a message
to all the people who come to the Games, watch the Games and cover the Games,& he said
&They will experience the hospitality and welcome that you only have in Asia.&The Hangzhou Asian Games& program features a record number of
481 medal events, including non-Olympic sports that are popular in certain regions
The 12,417 athletes exceed the number at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and are expected to likewise surpass the figure at Paris 2024.But while
representing all the continent&s 45 NOCs as a statement of unity, the massive scale of the 19th Asian Games has raised concerns over the
organizational pressure and financial burden for future hosts.Singh reiterated that the tradition of including regional sports will continue
to be honored, but the Games& scale should be kept in check.&We try to keep the main size of the Asian Games controllable
It should not be too much,& said the 76-year-old administrator.Although athletes and coaches of such non-Olympic sports as cricket enjoy
sensational followings in their respective regional markets, they hailed the Asiad as a much-needed platform to gain global exposure.&It is
a very good sign for the Asian Games to bring cricket in,& said Mohtashim Rasheed, coach of Pakistan&s women&s cricket team.Oshadi
Ranasinghe, a veteran of Sri Lanka&s women&s cricket team, which won silver in Hangzhou, said: &We can popularize the sport better and
promote it to other Asian countries (and regions)
It&s a great thing.&According to official stats, multiple world records have been broken with more records expected to fall in the coming
days.&The standard is getting higher
Asian sports are coming up very fast,& Singh said
&Initially, it was Japan and (the Republic of) Korea
Now, other countries (and regions) are coming up, as well.&I think in another eight to 10 years, you will see Asians … on top in many
sports.&The post Olympic Council of Asia lauds Hangzhou Games& unparalleled success first appeared on Ariana News.
