The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) withdrew the third Asian Youth Games that Sri Lanka was to host in 2017, citing the country’s Olympic committee’s autonomy issue with the government.

OCA President Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah announced the decision at a news conference in Tehran after the 66th meeting of council’s executive board on Thursday.

This move follows after repeated warnings from the OCA that preparations were not up to the mark even after switching the host city from the developing coastal hub of Hambantota to the Sri Lanka’s capital city of Colombo.

“The door is open for any city to host our third Asian Youth Games. We have also offered it to Indonesia as a test event for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018,” Sheikh Ahmad told the media.  

The OCA will make a final decision on the host city for the 3rd AYG in 2017 at its General Assembly in Turkmenistan this September.

Sheikh Ahmad said the OCA Executive Board heard updates and progress reports from organising committees of four upcoming games -  the 5th Asian Beach Games in Vietnam in 2016, the 8th Asian Winter Games in Japan in 2017, the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Turkmenistan in 2017 and the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018.

Ashgabat hosting the 5th AIMAG in September 2017 gains significance as it would be the first time Oceania joins the OCA in a multi-sport games. This takes the number of National Olympic Committees to 62, he said.

On the issue of women’s sports attire, Sheikh Ahmad said the International Sports Federations were becoming more understanding of women athletes wearing the hijab. Women’s basketball was following football, handball and volleyball on this aspect.
(The Gulf Times)