No reason was given for the delay, but China is racing to contain its biggest outbreak of Covid-19
No reason was given for the delay, but China is racing to contain its biggest outbreak of Covid-19
The Asian Games, scheduled to be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September, have been postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 situation, the Asian Olympic Council (OCA) said on May 6.
The 19th edition of the Multi-Sports Games, second only in size to the Summer Olympics, was due to take place from September 10–25, 2022 in the capital of Zhejiang province, about 175 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, China’s financial center.
The OCA said in a statement after its executive board meeting in Tashkent that the Hangzhou Organizing Committee (HAGOC) was well prepared to deliver the Games despite the “global challenges”.
“However, the decision was taken by all stakeholders after careful consideration of the pandemic situation and the size of the Games,” he added.
New dates for the Games will be announced “in the near future”.
“The name and emblem of the 19th Asian Games will remain unchanged, and the OCA believes that the Games will achieve full success with the combined efforts of all parties.”
Organizers said in early April that all 56 competition venues for the Games had been completed as the city prepared to host more than 11,000 athletes from 44 countries and territories.
“With the support and guidance of the OCA and the Chinese Olympic Committee, we will continue to do well in the preparatory work and believe that the postponed Hangzhou Asian Games will be a complete success,” HAGOC said on their Chinese version of the website.
The Asian Youth Games to be held in Shantou in December has been completely canceled. Tashkent will host its next edition in 2025.
Shanghai said on Friday it has brought China’s worst outbreak of COVID-19 under effective control after a month-long shutdown of nearly 25 million people.
Other cities, including the capital Beijing, are facing a wave of additional restrictions, increased testing and targeted lockdowns.
Most international sporting events in China have been postponed or canceled since the start of the pandemic, with the notable exception of the Winter Olympics in Beijing that went ahead under strict health controls in February.
State media reported that the start of the Chinese Super League football competition has been delayed and matches could be played under closed-loop management as they go ahead.