HARBIN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) — The ninth Asian Winter Games in Harbin will unite folks once more in sports activities in opposition to all odds to additional promote the Asian Olympic motion, stated Husain Al Musallam, director normal of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
Since profitable the bid for the Games in July 2023, Harbin’s preparations have been in full swing. According to the organizers, over 1,200 athletes from 34 nations and areas throughout Asia will compete, making this version the biggest by way of taking part delegations and athletes.
“Harbin did a great job after taking the Games two years ago. The organizers prepared the facilities here and all the Games’ requirements in a very short time and in a very professional way,” stated Al Musallam, expressing his perception that the Harbin Asian Winter Games, themed “Dream of Winter, Love among Asia,” can unite folks in sports activities whatever the conflicts and uncertainties on the earth.
He added, “The Harbin Asian Winter Games will be a platform for Asian athletes to get the qualifications for the Winter Olympics in different sports, which will prepare Asian athletes to perform and compete in a high standard for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.”
Since the primary version of the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo in 1986, winter sports activities have been creating quickly in Asia with broad public participation. “We are pleased that winter sports have become very popular in Asia, from the north and east to the south and west,” Al Musallam remarked.
The 2029 Asian Winter Games might be held in Trojena of Saudi Arabia, marking the primary time it’s held in West Asia. “The Games to be held in Saudi Arabia will increase the popularity of winter sports, which will be one of the main attractions for tourism,” Al Musallam famous.
Al Musallam was additionally impressed with the event of sports activities over a long time, from the Beijing 1990 Asian Games to the Hangzhou Asiad in 2023, stating, “Everybody witnessed the new technologies utilized at the Hangzhou Asian Games.”
Technologies together with digital actuality and augmented actuality may also be utilized for Friday’s opening ceremony of the Harbin Asian Winter Games.
The organizers revealed that, apart from the principle venue on the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, there might be a department venue for the opening ceremony on the Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park.