"2014 will be an exciting year with the Asian Games"

Singapore Bowling Federation president Jessie Phua said that "2014 will be an exciting year with the Asian Games."

Source: Today Online 

The 2014 Asian Games promise to be a success

Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah says he is satisfied that the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon will receive the same level of Korean government support as the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Sheikh Ahmad admitted to being worried that the Korean central government would focus only on the 2018 Games to the detriment of the 2013 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

But his concerns were alleviated after meetings with Korean president Lee Myung Bak in Seoul and the speaker of the National Assembly.

“After both meetings they have given their blessing, guidance and support for the Asian Games,” he was quoted on the OCA's website. “We are more confident the situation is stable and we are going in the right direction,” he added.

With 437 events in 36 sports at the Games, organizers will use 49 competition venues. Of these, 26 exist and 23 will be new, of which 16 are already under construction and seven at the design stage. There will also be 54 training venues.

Tsunekazu Takeda, the OCA’s Coordination Committee chairman, praised Incheon Asian Games chiefs on reducing the continental multisport event to a more manageable size.

He said Incheon 2014 will create a model for future Asian Games "in terms of creativity and cost-effectiveness".

Source: Around the Rings

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The 2014 Asian Games in numbers

Ticketing: Number of seats available, 2.4 million; sales target, 1.8 million, or 75%; on sale from September 2013.

Merchandise: Approximately 150 items in 11 categories, on sale from July 2012.

Ceremonies: Organisers have attended 18 Games to study and research ceremonies, including the 2011 Pan American Games.

Athletes’ Village: 13,000 athletes and officials, 16km from Main Stadium. Two people per room.

Media Village: 2,600 media, 16km from Main Stadium.

Source: Sports Features

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Iran wants the 3rd place at the 2014 Asian Games

The Islamic Republic of Iran is confident of shrugging off its tab of being a sleeping giant and staking its claim as the third best nation in the next edition of the Asian Games, to be held in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014.

"We started on a course of action some seven years back and the fruit of that hard work showed when we stood fourth in the medals tally with 59 behind China (416), South Korea (232) and Japan (216) at the Guangzhou Asian Games last year. Now it is time to consolidate our position and be at least third in the next Asian Games," Mohammad Ali Abadi, President of the Iran National Olympic Committee and Vice-President of the Olympic Council of Asia, told Gulf News during a brief visit to the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC).

Abadi met with Yousuf Al Serkal and Saeed Abdul Gaffar Hussain, Secretary-General of the UAE NOC, to discuss ways and means of sporting co-operation between the two countries.

Abadi reiterated that women will play a crucial role in enhancing the position of the country.

Source: Gulf News 

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The budget of the 2014 Asian Games is US$1.62 billion

The organizers for the 17th Asian Games taking place in Incheon, Korea in 2014 have revealed that the overall budget will be set at US$1.62 billion.

The venue construction will account for 86% of the total at US$1.393 billion, road projects will be 6% at US$103 million, private venue construction will be 3% at US$54 million, training venues will be 0.6% at US$11 million, and other costs make up the last 4% at US$59 million.

Of the total budget the Korean government will cover 19%, the Incheon government 78.9%, private 2% and the neighboring city government will carry 0.1%.

The announcement was made by the Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee (IAGOC) during the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) coordination committee meeting for the 17th Asian Games in 2014 and the 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2013 in the host city.

It was also announced by IAGOC that the sports program for the Games had been trimmed down and the number of sports was reduced from 42 to 36 and consequently the number of venues from 53 to 49. This set a benchmark for future editions of the Games to make them more cost effective.

OCA’s Coordination Committee Chairman, Tsunekazu Takeda, said, “This can only be done with the understanding of many people,” said Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee. At the end of the meeting, he thanked IAGOC for their “extensive presentation, hard work and wonderful arrangements”.

The 61,000-capacity Main Stadium will be completed three months earlier in April of 2014 instead of July and it will host the opening and closing ceremonies plus athletics. Work is already underway as of June of this year and is expected to take 35 months for completion. 

Source: Sports Features
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The 2014 Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee has no chairman

Lee Yeon-taek did not appear at his office Friday [November 11, 2011 because his two-year term as 2014 Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee chairman ended Thursday. Since his successor has yet to be chosen, the chairmanship remains vacant.

The power vacuum could generate an obstacle in the preparation of the Asian sports festival, which starts in three years.

The organizing committee is at a loss. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry is known to have decided to give Lee a second term but has yet to give its confirmation.

Kim Ki-hong, in charge of sports at the ministry, said, “Until we find a successor, Lee will lead the organizing committee. It’s not easy to find a figure who can elicit cooperation from the central government and the Incheon city government.”

The chairman is appointed by the culture minister, approved by the president, and confirmed by the general assembly of the organizing committee.

As Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah will visit Korea Tuesday next week, the organizing committee should prepare for on-site inspections of the venue and hold a coordination committee meeting. The organizing committee has problems in doing so because the chairman’s post remains vacant.

An organizing committee source blamed the government, saying, “The central government must show a clear stance on whether to reappoint Lee or to decide on a successor.”

The problem is that Incheon and the ministry are engaging in a power struggle over the chairman post. Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil, who belongs to the main opposition Democratic Party and chairs the Incheon Asian Games executive committee, wants to either become chairman or appoint one of his close aides.

The ministry, however, wants Lee to be reappointed or select another figure from the central government.

If the vacancy of the chairmanship is prolonged, the 2014 Asiad could suffer from poor preparation. Many say Korea’s international reputation can also be hurt.

Watch a video about Incheon:

Source: The Dong-A Ilbo

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Welcome to the Asian Games 2014 portal!

This blog will bring you all the news about the 2014 Asian Games which will be held between September 19 - October 4 in Incheon, South Korea.

Watch a promotional for the games: