11 Asian Games events to be held in Palembang

JAKARTA – The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has decided to hold 11 sports events of the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, South Sumatra.

“Three events are moved from Palembang to Jakarta. They are weightlifting, table tennis and gymnastics,” OCA deputy president Tsunekazu Takeda, said after attending a third coordination meeting of the Asian Games 2018 committee here on Sunday.

Takeda expressed appreciation to the preparations that have been made by the Indonesian central as well as regional governments especially with regard to renovation of venues.

“The Asian Games 2018 has 28 Olympic events, eight non-Olympic and one event proposed by the organizing country,” he said.

OCA, Takeda said, is optimistic and believes Indonesia is capable of hosting the 2018 Asian Games.

The general chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, Erick Thohir, said the sports branches that would be competed in Palembang include football qualifying round, canoeing/kayaking, volley ball qualifying round, rowing, shooting, triathlon, basket ball qualifying round, sepak takraw, cliff climbing, tennis qualifying round and soft-tennis qualifying round.

“I think jet skiing, para-gliding, bridge and road skating have been put in the note,” he said regarding the sports event to be proposed by Indonesia as the host country.

He said the Indonesia Gold Program committee (Satlak Prima) and the ministry of sports would determine which one to be chosen.

“That is the domain of the Satlak Prima and the ministry of sports. The KOI (Indonesia Olympic Committee) is tasked with opening cooperation with foreign countries,” he said.