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Asian Games postponed after new Covid wave in China

by Soumadeep Bagchi

The Asian Games, which were scheduled to take place in Hangzhou from September 10 to 25, have been postponed owing to the epidemic, according to Chinese official media. So yet, no replacement date has been offered.

 

 

The decision comes as China, where the virus first appeared in late 2019, is in the midst of its largest Covid-19 epidemic. In Shanghai, which has been under lockdown for more than a month, the country is dealing with a record number of daily cases.

 

 

Shanghai is only a short train ride from Hangzhou, where widespread Covid-19 testing began last week to keep an eye on the growing number of omicron cases. Beijing, China’s capital, has also begun to tighten its Covid restrictions in recent days.

 

 

 

The Asian Games, which were scheduled to take place in Hangzhou from September 10 to 25, have been postponed owing to the epidemic, according to Chinese official media. So yet, no replacement date has been offered.

 

The decision comes as China, where the virus first appeared in late 2019, is in the midst of its largest Covid-19 epidemic. In Shanghai, which has been under lockdown for more than a month, the country is dealing with a record number of daily cases.

 

 

Shanghai is only a short train ride from Hangzhou, where widespread Covid-19 testing began last week to keep an eye on the growing number of omicron cases. Beijing, China’s capital, has also begun to tighten its Covid restrictions in recent days.

 

 

The OCA’s executive committee, however, opted to postpone the Games after a meeting. The OCA and the Asian Games organisers did not immediately announce alternative dates for the Games, owing to a busy international schedule in 2023, which would include Olympic qualification events for all sports.

 

 

The decision is expected to have an impact on the Paris Olympics qualification system, particularly in sports like hockey, where Asian Games gold medalists were expected to receive a straight place.

 

According to the OCA, the decision was taken because to the current pandemic situation in China and the “scale of the Games.”

 

“The OCA, the COC, and the HAGOC will agree on new dates for the 19th Asian Games and announce them in the near future,” the OCA stated. “Despite worldwide problems, the HAGOC (Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee) has been extremely well prepared to deliver the Games on schedule. 

 

 

All parties, however, reached the aforesaid choice after carefully assessing the pandemic scenario and the scale of the Games. The 19th Asian Games’ name and symbol will stay intact, and the OCA thinks that the Games will be a perfect success thanks to everyone’s efforts.”

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