The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) converged at Macao East Asian Games Dome for the 31st OCA General Assembly on November 8. This is the first time Macao has hosted an international large-scale sport conference which again gained the trust and recognition of the international sports organizations by proven its ability to organize such major sport events. Also, through the meeting, Macao has deepened the ties with the world of sports and promoted the mutual exchanges and cooperation. Members from the Executive Board and Standing Committee of OCA, 45 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Sports Federation, the Asian Sports Federation and representatives from the Games organizers and organizing committee in which nearly 600 people gathered together for the big event. The President of OCA Prince Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Mr. Cheong U, also attended the meeting.
The conference agenda includes the hearing of the several Asian multi-sport events organized in the next few years and the announcement of Vietnam’s Hanoi and Indonesia’s Surabaya won the bid to host, respectively, the 18th Asian Games and the 4th Asian Youth Games. In addition, brief introductions of the International Arbitration Commission, the World Anti-Doping Agency and the 2012 London Olympic Games have also been heard.
On November 7, OCA also held its 62nd Executive Board meeting. The meeting called upon the Olympic Committees from all nations to train more youth sports leaders, also to make full use of the fund/subsidy scheme provided by Olympic Solidarity Commission and other relevant organizations which will enable more athletes to join the Olympic Games.
There were also an Olympic Committee Awards and Sports Stars Awards during the meeting, 10 male and 10 female Asian athletes from seven different countries and regions were rewarded for their outstanding achievements at the 2012 London Olympics Games.
Mr. Chui Sai On, the Chief Executive of Macao SAR on November 6 met with the Chairman of the OCA General Assembly Prince Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, members of OCA, Vice-President of International Olympic Committee (IOC) Mr. Thomas Bach and other senior world-sports representatives. The Chief Executive indicated that the SAR Government would maintain a friendly relationship with OCA and IOC and promote interaction and exchanges between international and local sport communities.
