Asian Games in September- October next year: Olympic Council of Asia

PTI

Kuwait/Beijing, July 19

The postponed Asian Games will be held from September 23 to October 8 next year in Hangzhou, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced today. The 19th edition of the Games, originally slated for September 10-25 this year, was postponed on May 6 after a spike in Covid-19 cases in China.

“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 events,” the OCA said in a statement. “The recommended dates by the Task Force were duly approved,” the statement added.

Clash with wrestling Worlds

However, the Games’ dates clash with next year’s wrestling World Championships, which are slated to be held from September 16 to 24 in Russia. “The World Championships will be an Olympics qualifying event so how can UWW (world governing body) agree to this,” said Vinod Tomar, assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India. “These events should have a good gap. UWW may have to modify the dates of the World Championships,” he added.