Indonesia top candidate to host 2019 Asiad
Surabaya is the top candidate for hosting the 2019 Asian Games after the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) hinted that the Indonesian city is capable of taking over from Vietnam, which withdrew last week due to
financial concerns.
OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, said Surabaya is one of the two final bidding nations for the 18th Asiad along with Hanoi, Vietnam. The capital of East Java lost to Hanoi during the OCA General Assembly in 2012.
“Indonesia [Surabaya] does have a certain advantage. But at this moment, there isn’t a specified candidate for hosting the 2019 Games,” said Al-Sabah, who added that the new host city will be known during OCA’s general assembly in September in Incheon in South Korea.
Surabaya is one of the satellite hosts of the 2011 Indonesia Southeast Asian Games with Palembang as the main hub.
Chinese Taipei’s Kaoshiung City, in a separate report in the Taipei Times, is also thinking of bidding to bid to shoulder the hosting rights of the Asian Games.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung last week said his country was not financially ready to host an event of the same magnitude as the Asian Games with the country expected to spend as much as $150
million with the construction of other facilities not yet included.
Vietnamese sports minister Hoang Tuan Anh, in a separate statement, added: "Vietnam isn't experienced enough in hosting such a big scale of sports event. After understanding all of those obstacles and careful consideration, we are looking for OCA's sympathy and understanding on our withdrawal."
Vietnam is also feeling the impact of the global financial crisis and the World Bank, which said that the country’s economy is expected to grow 5.5 percent this year, hinted it won’t lend the country money to build its sports facilities.
“The country’s socio-economic situation remains in difficulties. The state budget is limited and prioritized for other urgent projects,” Dung said in a statement. “Vietnam’s image could be hurt if it failed to properly organize the Games.”
Al-Sabah met with Vietnam’s delegation and understood the country’s situation adding that OCA won’t be imposing any sanction or penalty after it withdrew from hosting the 2019 Asiad.
"The unique [nature] of Asian sports is our strong unity and solidarity, which will be on top of any kind of penalty within (the) Asia sports family. Our unity and solidarity are very unique—there isn't any kind of penalty, but support and understanding," said Al-Sabah.
“The OCA isn’t upset about this decision but welcomes that Vietnam made this decision to give us more good time to find a replacement city.”
financial concerns.
OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, said Surabaya is one of the two final bidding nations for the 18th Asiad along with Hanoi, Vietnam. The capital of East Java lost to Hanoi during the OCA General Assembly in 2012.
“Indonesia [Surabaya] does have a certain advantage. But at this moment, there isn’t a specified candidate for hosting the 2019 Games,” said Al-Sabah, who added that the new host city will be known during OCA’s general assembly in September in Incheon in South Korea.
Surabaya is one of the satellite hosts of the 2011 Indonesia Southeast Asian Games with Palembang as the main hub.
Chinese Taipei’s Kaoshiung City, in a separate report in the Taipei Times, is also thinking of bidding to bid to shoulder the hosting rights of the Asian Games.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung last week said his country was not financially ready to host an event of the same magnitude as the Asian Games with the country expected to spend as much as $150
million with the construction of other facilities not yet included.
Vietnamese sports minister Hoang Tuan Anh, in a separate statement, added: "Vietnam isn't experienced enough in hosting such a big scale of sports event. After understanding all of those obstacles and careful consideration, we are looking for OCA's sympathy and understanding on our withdrawal."
Vietnam is also feeling the impact of the global financial crisis and the World Bank, which said that the country’s economy is expected to grow 5.5 percent this year, hinted it won’t lend the country money to build its sports facilities.
“The country’s socio-economic situation remains in difficulties. The state budget is limited and prioritized for other urgent projects,” Dung said in a statement. “Vietnam’s image could be hurt if it failed to properly organize the Games.”
Al-Sabah met with Vietnam’s delegation and understood the country’s situation adding that OCA won’t be imposing any sanction or penalty after it withdrew from hosting the 2019 Asiad.
"The unique [nature] of Asian sports is our strong unity and solidarity, which will be on top of any kind of penalty within (the) Asia sports family. Our unity and solidarity are very unique—there isn't any kind of penalty, but support and understanding," said Al-Sabah.
“The OCA isn’t upset about this decision but welcomes that Vietnam made this decision to give us more good time to find a replacement city.”
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