51^st OCA EB Meeting held in Macao 29-10-2007

Attended by all board members, the 51st OCA Executive Board Meeting was held on 29th October 2007 under the chair of its president, H.E. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah. Work reports were made on different areas by the deputy presidents representing the 5 Asian regions, the vice presidents and representatives from the organising committees of the next editions of Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Beach Games, and the standing committee presidents and Macao’s Secretary of Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On.

The OCA President, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, extended his gratitude to all members of Executive Board for their presence in Macao for the meeting and the 2nd Asian Indoor Games.

Macao’s Secretary of Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On, welcomed the members for their visit in Macao and expressed the SAR Government’s beliefs and objectives in hosting the Games.

OCA’s vice-president and MAIGOC’s chairman, Manuel Silvério briefed the status of the 2AIG now processing in Macao. He indicated that the 2AIG is a new stage of Macao’s sports history and hoped the Games could announce the new look and image of Macao worldwide in various ways.

The Games has involved more than 23, 000 persons until now. The first three days of events have attracted over 13,000 spectators to watch the live show in the venue, making a full house in many sports facilities of the Games – example to prove both the competing and attracting features of the events. Silvério is happy the 2AIG is leading more people to have a closer look on some less popular sports, successfully diversifying the sports circle in Asia. His thanks especially goes to all NOC members for their involvement and support which make this edition of Asian Indoor Games a success and a contribution to develop the sports that are included neither in the Olympics nor the Asian Games.

HE Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah expressed in a press conference earlier that the success of the Games in Macao has set another milestone for the development of the AIG. This edition presents 151 events under 17 sports and 3 demonstration sports, both emerging and conventional, a realization of the objective to diversify the Asian sports circle and attract more young people to the circle. Silvério mentioned in the EB meeting that Macao’s experience in the 4th East Asian Games and the 1st Lusofonia Games has well equipped the host city to organize the 2AIG and prepared the city to contribute even more to the Asian sports circle. Silvério expects his work team could present a post-Games report with more details to OCA at an early stage after its conclusion, trying to share with his counterparts in Asia and, even across the world, the joy and hardship together with experience of the organising committee.

The 2nd Asian Indoor Games has set a good example for the host city of the third games.

This is said by the President of Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, in his welcoming address at the 51st Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Executive Board Meeting in Macao.

Leading figures of sports community in Asia gathered in the dynamic Special Administrative Region (SAR) in southern China for the meeting.

Agenda of the meeting included briefings by OCA Vice Presidents from five Asian zones, OCA Vice Presidents for the Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Beach Games and Chairmen of thirteen Standing Committees.