Merger of two regional events
THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) agreed with the decision of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to incorporate the Asian Martial Arts Games with the Asian Indoor Games.
POC spokesman Joey Romasanta said the move would ease national Olympic committees of extra expenses had there been two separate events.
The Asian Martial Arts Games in Thailand are set August 1 to 9. The Asian Indoor Games will have its third edition from November 2 to 12 in Vietnam. But in 2013, both events will be incorporated.
“The Asian Martial Arts Games are quite similar to the international federation events that are being staged,” said Romasanta, also a vice president of the karatedo association.
The Philippines will participate in judo, jujitsu, karate, kickboxing, kurach, muay, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu in the first Asian Martial Arts Games, which was moved from March to November after a political unrest hit Bangkok earlier this year.
Just this year, four multisports events are scheduled-the Asian Martial Arts Games, Asian Youth Games, Asian Indoor Games and the Southeast Asian Games.
“The events this year were quite unforeseen so it was a financial burden this year compared in previous years,” said Romasanta.
The decision was made during the recent OCA General Assembly in Singapore. It was also agreed that there would only be 35 sports in the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014-a drop from the 43 in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
The Asian Games will also be rescheduled but only in the 18th edition which will be staged in 2019.
Written by Reuben Terrado / Reporter
Sunday, 05 July 2009 20:40
