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WADA said North Korea was still non-compliant with its anti-doping code and the OCA had failed to enforce its sanction. "North Korea, the DPRK Korea, has also written a letter to them very lately telling them that the borders have opened and they can send the doping control officers for the testing which the WADA has agreed and they will be shortly sending it to the DPRK, to North Korea," Tiwari added. North Korea won 11 golds in Hangzhou, including in artistic gymnastics, shooting, wrestling, boxing and six in weightlifting. It was the first international multi-sport event North Korea attended since the 2018 edition in Jakarta. North Korea closed its borders for nearly four years because of COVID-19.

Persons: Kim Kyung, WADA, Vinod Kumar Tiwari, It's, Tiwari, Martin Quin Pollard, Robert Birsel Organizations: North, Rights, Olympic Council of Asia, Hangzhou Asian, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, OCA, DPRK, North Korea, International Olympic Committee, Beijing, Games, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, North Korea, Rights HANGZHOU, Korea, DPRK Korea, Jakarta . North Korea, Tokyo

[1/8] Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - Closing Ceremony - Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, Hangzhou, China - October 8, 2023 A view of the handover ceremony at the closing ceremony REUTERS/Marko Djurica Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China, Oct 8 (Reuters) - China's eastern city of Hangzhou rounded off the 19th Asian Games on Sunday with a colourful and "joy"-themed closing ceremony after hosting the continental sporting extravaganza which organisers hailed as "one of the finest" ever. Taking place amid tight security the less-than two hour ceremony also included a handover to the hosts of the next Asian Games in 2026, the Japanese city Nagoya. The hosts' 201st gold left them two better than their previous best of 199 at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Organisers said 12,407 athletes from 45 nations competed in 40 sports at the Hangzhou Games, which were delayed for a year due to COVID-19. "We have hosted the most successful Asian Games in history" said Chen Weiqiang, Executive Secretary General of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and vice-mayor of Hangzhou.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Li Qiang, jigged, Takashi Kawamura, Randhir Singh, Gu Shiau, Kazakhstan's Moldir, Chen Weiqiang, WADA, Martin Quin Pollard, Ian Ransom, Christian Schmollinger, Toby Chopra, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Rights, Games, Nagoya, Mainichi, Olympic Council of Asia, energised, Bangkok Games, Hangzhou Games, Hangzhou Asian Games, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, Olympic Council of, OCA Locations: Hangzhou, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Nagoya, Nanjing, Aichi, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Japan, Macau, North, Korea, Olympic Council of Asia

☆ Sheikh Ahmad, brother file cases against IOC at CAS over election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah leaves a courthouse after the verdict for a trial for forgery in connection with arbitration, in Geneva, Switzerland, September 10, 2021. Sheikh Ahmad was banned from the IOC for three years in July after it found he had an "undeniable impact" on Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) elections in which his brother, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, was appointed president. CAS confirmed both Sheikh Ahmad and Sheikh Talal had filed separate cases against the IOC at the Switzerland-based court. Sheikh Ahmad, a former OCA president, travelled to Bangkok ahead of the OCA election in July and was in the city when it took place, which was "interpreted as interference in the election process" by the IOC's ethics commission. Sheikh Ahmad denied all the charges in the case and appealed the conviction.

Persons: Sheikh Ahmad Al, Fahad Al, Ahmed Al, Denis Balibouse, Fahad, Sheikh Ahmad, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al, Ahmad Al, Sheikh Talal's, Sheikh Talal, India's Randhir Singh, Singh, Sheikh Ahmad's, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, International Olympic Committee, Sport, Olympic Council of Asia, IOC, OCA, Asian Games, Thomson Locations: Sabah, Geneva, Switzerland, Rights HANGZHOU, China, Fahad Al, Bangkok, India's, Swiss, Hangzhou

☆ Thailand win first esports medal as princess rides in
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - E-Sports - China Hangzhou Esports Centre, Hangzhou, China - September 26, 2023 Players from Team Thailand prepare before the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version Bronze Medal Match REUTERS/Ann Wang Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Thailand claimed the first esports medal awarded at the Asian Games on Tuesday in an event closely watched by Olympic officials as a princess of the kingdom made a royal entrance to the equestrian event. But an enthusiastic crowd of locals cheered on the Thais at the Hangzhou Esports Centre as they prevailed 2-0 in a best-of-three match for the popular mobile phone game developed by a Chinese tech firm. The players tapped their small screens furiously and communicated with team mates via headsets throughout a contest that stretched to nearly 40 minutes. If esports is the future of the Games, Thai Princess Sirivannavari Mahidol represented its past as she made a regal entrance on a horse named 'Es Fangar's Samba King' in the dressage team event. "Luckily our father is supporting us," said the princess, who represented Thailand in badminton at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar and equestrian at Incheon in 2014.

Persons: Ann Wang, Sirivannavari Mahidol, King Vajiralongkorn, Zhang Boheng, Zhang, Takeru Kitazono, nation's, Lee Hye, kyeong, Kwon, Martin Quin Pollard, Peter Rutherford Organizations: China Hangzhou Esports, Team Thailand, of Valor, REUTERS, Rights, Asian Games, Olympic, Vietnam, esports, Jakarta Asian, Thais, Hangzhou Esports, Thailand, Games, South, Doping Agency, Olympic Council of Asia, OCA, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China Hangzhou, China Hangzhou Esports Centre, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Thailand, Bangkok, Sorawat, India, Qatar, Incheon, North, Jakarta, Communist, Korean

After receiving their silver medal in the men's team 10m running target, their country's first of the Games, the three North Korean athletes first broke with tradition by declining to turn towards the flag during the rendition of the national anthem of the winners, South Korea. Then, during the customary group photo, where all medal winners bunch together for the cameras, the bronze medallists, Indonesia, joined South Korea on the top rung of the podium, but the three North Koreans, Kwon Kwang-il, Pak Myong-won and Songjun Yu, did not. During a brief, but awkward delay one of the South Koreans tapped one of the North Koreans on the shoulder and tried to speak to them, but the North Koreans kept silent and did not even look to their left where their rivals stood. The Hangzhou Asian Games is the first international multi-sport event North Korea is attending since the 2018 edition in Jakarta. The 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty meaning the two sides are still technically at war.

Persons: Jeong, Kwon Kwang, Pak Myong, Songjun Yu, Martin Quin Pollard, Dylan Martinez, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Sports Centre, North, South, Hangzhou Asian Games, Games, Koreans, Olympic Council of Asia, Hangzhou, International Olympic Committee, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, HANGZHOU, South Korea, Indonesia, North Koreans, North Korea, Korea, Jakarta . North Korea, Tokyo

"OCA is looking into it, definitely," as well as organisers and the government, Singh told a press conference in the eastern Chinese host city, Hangzhou. The three wushu fighters from the state of Arunachal Pradesh were issued stapled visas instead of stamped ones, India's foreign ministry said. Wei Jizhong, chairman of the OCA's ethics committee, told reporters last week that China did not refuse entry to the athletes. New Delhi vociferously rejects the claim, saying Arunachal Pradesh has always been part of India. At the Asian Games, delayed by a year due to COVID-19, some 12,400 athletes from 45 nations are competing for 481 gold medals across a huge programme of 40 sports.

Persons: Stanley Cheah, Raja Randhir Singh, Singh, Wei Jizhong, Tibet . New Delhi vociferously, Ian Ransom, Martin Quin Pollard, William Mallard Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, Olympic Council of Asia, Singapore, Reuters, Rights, Asian Games, OCA, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Arunachal Pradesh, India, Beijing, Tibet . New Delhi, New Delhi

☆ Afghanistan women's volleyball team fumes at training conditions in Hangzhou
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HANGZHOU, China, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The Afghanistan women's volleyball team has lamented training conditions at the Asian Games and are concerned they will not be ready for an event where they are participating in defiance of the country's Taliban rulers. I don't know why they can't have training for an hour or two when they have all these facilities. Malakzai said they had been allocated one training session two days before the women's competition starts on Saturday. Hangzhou Games organisers and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) did not immediately respond to requests for comment. With the backing of the OCA and the International Olympic Committee, Afghanistan's exiled national Olympic committee has sent 17 women to compete in athletics, cycling and volleyball at Hangzhou.

Persons: Khushal Malakzai, Malakzai, Afghanistan's, Ian Ransom, Hugh Lawson Organizations: volleyball, Asian Games, Reuters, Hangzhou Games, Olympic Council of Asia, OCA, International Olympic Committee, Olympic, Thomson Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Afghanistan, Hangzhou

☆ Asia Olympic body backs North Korea flag at Hangzhou despite WADA ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned the flag at all major sporting events, outside the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in 2021 after deeming North Korea had failed to implement an effective testing programme. Acting OCA President Randhir Singh said Asian Games organisers and North Korea were in discussions with WADA but that the flag was still "flying". "North Korea also has written to WADA as well, explaining their position," he told reporters on Sunday. At present the North Korea flag is flying and we will look into it and see what the future says. The Hangzhou Asian Games is the first international multi-sport event North Korea is attending since the 2018 edition in Jakarta.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Randhir Singh, WADA, Singh, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, Rights, Olympic Council of Asia, North, Hangzhou Asian, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, Games, Hangzhou, International Olympic Committee, Beijing, IOC, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, North Korea, Rights HANGZHOU, Korea, Korean, Jakarta . North Korea, Tokyo, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moscow

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — The opening ceremony of the Asian Games on Saturday in China offered all the staples of a major international sports event. One big thing, however, was missing: real fireworks, the exploding kind that smell of power and burnt fuses. Instead, the high-tech games — billed of course as “green games” — offered electronic flash, 3D animations and a virtual torchbearer. Delayed for a year by the pandemic, the Asian Games are China's largest sports event since the country scrapped its zero-COVID-19 policy early in the year. China won almost 300 medals in the Asian Games five years ago and is sure to dominate again followed by Japan and South Korea.

Persons: Xi Jinping, —, Xi, Bashar al, Assad, Thomas Bach, King Norodom Sihamoni, Bach, Vladimir Putin, there’s, ___ Didi Tang Organizations: Asian Games, Sports Center, International Olympic, Olympic Council of, Hangzhou Asian, Xinhua, Olympics, China, —, Afghan, ___ AP Asia Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Hangzhou, Taiwan, North Korea, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Olympic Council of Asia, Russia, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, “, Hangzhou Asian Games, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Afghanistan, Washington, ___, asia

☆ IOC asks Singh to continue as acting head of Olympic Council of Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, July 30 (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee has asked India's Randhir Singh to continue as acting head of the Olympic Council of Asia, according to a letter seen by Reuters, after the IOC refused to recognise the Asian governing body's elections. Sheikh Ahmad has denied any wrongdoing. Sheikh Talal was appointed OCA president by a margin of 24 votes to 20 over his fellow Kuwaiti, Husain Al-Musallam. The trial considered whether Sheikh Ahmad had used a bogus Kuwaiti coup plot to gain advantage over political rivals. Sheikh Ahmad denied all the charges in the case and appealed the conviction.

Persons: India's Randhir Singh, Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad Al, Fahad, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al, Ahmad Al, Sheikh Ahmad, Sheikh Talal, Husain Al, Singh, Sheikh Talal Al, Sheikh Ahmad's, Amlan Chakraborty, Tommy Lund, Ken Ferris Organizations: Olympic, Olympic Council of Asia, Reuters, IOC, OCA, Asian Games, Thomson Locations: DELHI, Fahad Al, Sabah, Bangkok, Singh, Swiss, OPEC, Geneva, Switzerland, Hangzhou, China, New Delhi

HONG KONG, May 8 (Reuters) - China wants to work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to oppose the politicisation of sports, Premier Li Qiang said, amid demands on the sporting body to exclude athletes from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Premier Li made the comments at a meeting with IOC head Thomas Bach in Beijing over the weekend, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has already offered to let Russian and Belarusian athletes compete at the Asian Games in China this year. "Li said that China is willing to work together with the IOC to oppose the politicisation of sports and to make greater contribution to the Olympic movement," Xinhua reported. Bach said China plays an important role in maintaining world peace and promoting mutual development and IOC is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to promote the development of the Olympic movement.

☆ Zelenskiy urges Olympic sponsors to keep Russia out of Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Nick Starkov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LVIV, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Ukraine has sent letters to companies that back the International Olympic Committee urging them to keep Russian athletes out of the Paris Olympic Games, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday. Zelenskiy has been spearheading a drive to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the games under a neutral flag. Zelenskiy has said their presence would normalise Russia's invasion of his country and make "terror" acceptable. "Ukraine has sent appropriate letters to the companies that provide the biggest support for the International Olympic Committee," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "These are large international companies who clearly have an interest in ensuring that their reputation and support is not used for war propaganda."

The Baltic nations and Poland earlier Thursday called on international sports bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Olympics and other events while the war in Ukraine continues. "Efforts to return Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sports competitions under the veil of neutrality legitimize political decisions and widespread propaganda of these countries," it added. They called on "all international sports organizations and federations" to remove Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions until the war ends. Latvia joined Kyiv on Wednesday in threatening to boycott the 2024 Olympics and qualifiers if Russian and Belarusian athletes are included while the war continues in Ukraine. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug. 11 next year and the Paralympics from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.

☆ Ukraine on mission to ban Russia from Olympics, IOC says sanctions stand
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Olena Harmash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Vadym Huttsait, 51, a former Olympic fencing champion, told Reuters the idea of allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals was unacceptable. Moscow said on Tuesday it would welcome any IOC moves to allow its athletes to compete in the Olympics. But hours later the IOC said it was standing by sanctions imposed against the countries over Russia's invasion. There has been little public support yet from other nations for an outright ban on Russians at Paris. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier'LIVES MORE IMPORTANT THAN MEDALS'The IOC's initial recommendation to ban Russians and Belarusians has been applied by many sports federations.

☆ Ukraine on mission to ban Russia from Paris Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Olena Harmash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

At least 220 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have died in the war, Huttsait said, with over 340 sports facilities damaged or ruined. However, there has been little public support yet from other nations for an outright ban on Russians at Paris. "Certainly, there is some attempt by the International Olympic Committee to allow our athletes to participate in international competitions," said Stanislav Pozdnyakov, head of Russia's Olympic Committee. 'LIVES MORE IMPORTANT THAN MEDALS'The IOC's previous recommendation to ban Russians and Belarusians has been applied by many sports federations. Should that happen, Ukraine's sporting authorities and athletes will face a "very difficult decision" whether to boycott Paris, Huttsait said.

☆ IOC rejects 'defamatory' criticism from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The IOC rejects in the strongest possible terms this and other defamatory statements," the IOC told Reuters in a statement. This is whom the ignorant IOC wants to put under white flag allowing to compete," Kuleba wrote on Twitter. The IOC added then, however, that each sport federation was the "sole authority for its international competitions". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Ukraine would launch an international campaign to prevent Russian athletes from being allowed to compete at the Games. The Russian foreign ministry has said any attempt to squeeze Moscow out of international sport because of what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine is "doomed to fail".

☆ Ukraine calls for faster weapons supplies as Russia presses eastern offensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

We have to speed up events, speed up supplies and open up new weapons options for Ukraine." Three people were killed and six injured on Sunday by Russian strikes on Kherson that damaged a hospital and a school, the regional administration said. Russian troops had occupied Kherson shortly after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and held the city until Ukrainian forces recaptured it in November. Russia on Saturday accused the Ukrainian military of deliberately striking a hospital in a Russian-held area of eastern Ukraine, killing 14 people. Russia says it launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine to fend off a hostile West and "denazify" the country.

☆ Zelenskiy adviser: IOC promotes 'Russian anti-human policy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

That's why it insists Russian athletes should participate in contests as real 'ambassadors of death'," Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter. "Sport doesn't exist outside politics – sport promotes it. Thus, the IOC promotes the Russian anti-human policy." President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Ukraine would launch an international campaign to prevent Russian athletes from being allowed to compete in the 2024 Games. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday that any attempt to squeeze Moscow out of international sport was "doomed to fail".

☆ Ukraine could boycott Olympics if Russians allowed back-minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine would not rule out boycotting the Olympic Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to compete in the Paris 2024 Games, its sports minister said. "Our position is unchanged: as long as there is a war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be in international competitions," Guttsait wrote on his Facebook page. "Work is currently underway on further possible steps and first steps to continue sanctions and prevent Russians and Belarusians from international competitions," he said. "If we are not heard, I do not rule out the possibility that we will boycott and refuse participation in the Olympics." Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned in some sports while they are allowed to compete under a neutral flag in others.

☆ Russian athletes could participate in Asian competitions - IOC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Russian and Belarusian athletes could participate in Asian events with the International Olympic Committee looking at options for their return to international competitions. The IOC said on Wednesday the Olympic Council of Asia had offered Russian and Belarusian athletes the chance to compete in Asia. The IOC said in a statement it "welcomed and appreciated the offer from the Olympic Council of Asia to give these (Russian and Belarusian) athletes access to Asian competitions". That could potentially also include Olympic qualifying events, with Russian and Belarusian athletes unable to compete in Europe due to various restrictions and bans as well as opposition caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The IOC had recommended that events in Russia be cancelled or relocated and that Russian and Belarusian athletes not take part or compete under a neutral flag.

☆ Saudi Arabia just won a bid for the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The $500 billion city they're set to be hosted in doesn't exist yet.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Saudi Arabia is set to become the first country in West Asia to host the Winter Asian Games. But, like the rest of Neom, Trojena doesn't exist yet; it's slated to be completed in 2026, per the AFP. Neom, Saudi Arabia, on January 12, 2021. The Asian Winter Games are held every four years. Saudi Arabia stands to be the first West Asian country to host the event, which was most recently held in Sapporo, Japan, in 2017.

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