Games-Asian Olympic Boss Says Politicians Need to Stay out of Sport at Nagoya Games

On Saturday, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), stated that politicians should refrain from involvement in sports following a diplomatic incident at the Asian Games in Nagoya. The incident arose when Taiwan sport minister, Lee Yang, was initially barred from a flag-raising ceremony in protest. Lee Yang, a former Olympic badminton champion, was eventually allowed to attend the ceremony, which began over an hour later than scheduled.

Taiwan's cabinet expressed dissatisfaction, stating that Lee Yang had faced "unreasonable obstruction" and had obtained the necessary access credentials. In response, OCA President Sheikh Joaan emphasized during a press conference that athletes' rights should be the primary focus during the quadrennial Games, asserting that politics and politicians have no place in sports. OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam added that the flag-raising ceremony was intended for athletes, not government delegations.

The lead-up to the Aichi-Nagoya Games has been marred by organizational issues, such as transport and accommodation problems for athletes. Despite these challenges, Sheikh Joaan defended the organizers, stating that they were addressing issues as they arose. He expressed optimism that the situation was improving. The Games, featuring a record 43 sports and 469 medal events, included debut events like virtual taekwondo, breaking (breakdancing), and esports.

OCA's Husain Al-Musallam expressed pride in the Games' size and affordability, highlighting that the Asian Games were larger than any other games with lower costs.