New dates set for postponed Asian Games

The 19th Asian Games will be held from Sept 23 to Oct 8, 2023 in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, the Olympic Council of Asia announced on Tuesday.

The Games, originally scheduled to be hosted by the city from Sept 10 to 25, 2022, were put on hold by the OCA executive board on May 6 after it carefully considered "the pandemic situation and the size of the Games", and a task force was subsequently set up to finalize the new dates of the Games.

Over the last two months, the task force has held various discussions with the Chinese Olympic Committee, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee and other stakeholders to find a window for the Games that didn't conflict with other major international sporting events, the OCA said in its statement.

"The OCA looks forward to celebrating the best Asian Games ever in Hangzhou in September 2023," it said.

In a separate statement, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee said it will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders, working in an all-round manner according to the confirmed dates in its preparations for the Games to stage a spectacular sporting and cultural event with "Chinese style, Zhejiang glamour and Hangzhou flavor".

Hangzhou will be the third Chinese city to host the Asian Games after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010. During the Games, competitions will also be held in co-host cities of Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Shaoxing and Jinhua in Zhejiang province.