Indonesia Asks Oca To Help Promote Asian Games 2018

Jakarta, (Antara Sumbar) - The Indonesian Government has asked the President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah, to help promote the 18th Asian Games to be hosted by Indonesia next year.

The OCA president traveled overseas frequently to convince at least 45 Asian countries to participate in the Asian Games 2018, Coordinating Minister for Culture and Human Development, Puan Maharani, stated, after accompanying President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) who received the OCA delegation at Merdeka Palace, here, on Monday.

Al-Sabah, who led the OCA delegation, expressed his optimism that Indonesia would be able to organize next year's Asian Games successfully.

Jokowi, Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, and the OCA delegation discussed preparations being made by Indonesia for the Asian Games. They concluded that the preparations were on track and in accordance with the targets.

Indonesia wishes to co-host a world basketball championship in 2023, together with the Philippines and Japan.

"Later, Insha Allah (God Willing), if we are successful with this (Asian Games), we might apply to host the 2030 Olympic," Maharani noted.

She quoted the Public Works and Public Housing Minister that the rehabilitation of a sports venue in Jakabaring, Palembang, would be completed in January 2018.

Test sport events will be carried out in January and February 2018, both in Palembang and in Jakarta.

The 2018 Asian Games organizing committee will need 13 thousand volunteers, and over 30 thousand people have applied to be volunteers during the implementation of the Games.

Indonesia will host the 18th Asian Games, a regional sporting event for Asian nations, in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Jakarta simultaneously from August 18 to September 2, 2018.

Thousands of athletes from 54 countries are expected to participate in the games.

This will be the second time that Indonesia will host the Asian Games, with the first one held in Jakarta in 1962 under president Soekarno.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is the apex sporting body which controls all the sports in Asia. It is one of the five continental associations recognized by the IOC.

The OCA was formed in 1982 and has its permanent headquarters in Kuwait. (*)

Editor: Vicha Faradika