'Hangzhou ready for greatest Asian Games ever'
Hangzhou will stage the "greatest ever" Asian Games next month, acting Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) head Randhir Singh said on Friday, asserting the council's internal issues will not impact the continental event. The OCA has run into troubles after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to recognise its elections last month, and asked India's Singh to carry on as its acting president. The IOC has banned Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah for three years for his "undeniable impact" in the OCA elections in which his brother, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, was appointed president of the continental body. Former Olympic skeet shooter Singh was first appointed acting president of the OCA in 2021 when Sheikh Ahmad stepped down as president after being convicted by a Swiss criminal court of forgery. Sheikh Ahmad has denied any wrongdoing. "The OCA election has nothing to do with the organisation of the Games," Singh told Reuters by telephone sounding upbeat about the Games, which could not be held last year because of Covid-19 restrictions in China. "Hangzhou was all ready to host it last year itself. Venues are ready, everything is in place, and I'm sure we are going to see the greatest ever Asian Games." The IOC is reviewing the OCA election process in which Sheikh Talal edged out Husain Al-Musallam 24-20 to head the Asian body, which had his father, Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, as its first president. The IOC, in a letter on Wednesday, asked both candidates not to engage with OCA's voting members until the completion of the review process. Singh, who has been chairman of the coordination committee for the Hangzhou Games, said it was too early to talk about the next OCA elections. "Right now, we have to go by what the IOC instructs us. We have to go by the Olympic Charter and ethics is the most important aspect of it. "After the IOC completes its review and submits report, we'll get an idea when to hold the next OCA election." The Games in Hangzhou, a tech hub about 170km southwest of Shanghai, will be held from September 23 to October 8. (Reuters)