Asian Olympic chief urges politicians to stay out of sport at Nagoya Games
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani made the remark following a diplomatic incident involving a Taiwan government official at the Asian Games.
In Nagoya, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani has called for politicians to stay out of sports during the Asian Games, following a diplomatic incident involving a Taiwan government official. The Games, which feature a record 43 sports and 469 medal events, have been marred by organizational problems, including transport and accommodation issues for athletes.
Taiwan's sport minister, Lee Yang, was initially blocked from attending a flag-raising ceremony at the Games by the Taiwan delegation as a protest, but was eventually allowed entry. The incident sparked a standoff, with the Taiwan cabinet complaining about Lee's "unreasonable obstruction." OCA director general Husain Al-Musallam emphasized that the flag-raising ceremony was meant for the participants, not the delegations.
Despite complaints from national team delegations, OCA defended the size and low cost of the programme, which includes the debut of virtual taekwondo while retaining breaking (breakdancing) and esports.
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