▲ The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) flag is hoisted during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on September 19.
The 2030 Doha Asian Games are increasingly likely to be delayed by a year and held in 2031.
Ahmad Abdullah Al-Buainain, CEO of the Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee, stated during a press conference held in Nagoya, Japan, on the 1st local time, that he has an open mind toward the plan to host the Doha Asian Games in 2031.
CEO Al-Buainain explained, "The proposal to change the timing of the event is being discussed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)," adding, "The most important thing is for the organizing committee to have the necessary preparations in place under any circumstances."
He further stated, "We are open," and "We will cooperate closely with the IOC and the OCA."
The OCA is discussing a plan to change the timing of the Asian Games from even-numbered years to odd-numbered years.
This decision stems from the assessment that the status of the Asian Games has declined to a serious degree.
Cases have continued where some countries, such as China and Japan, send second-tier squads instead of their strongest athletes in certain events, and public interest is gradually diminishing.
Box-office failure is also directly linked to revenue issues.
As a result, cities hoping to host the games are also decreasing.
Nagoya drastically cut costs due to declining revenues, resulting in various problems and drawing widespread criticism.
Struggling to boost the competitiveness of the Asian Games, the OCA has begun considering hosting them in odd-numbered years.
The concept is that if the Asian Games are held the year before the Summer Olympics, they can be utilized as Olympic qualifiers, thereby raising the competitiveness and prestige of the event.
It is judged that if the Asian Games become a stage tied to Olympic qualification tickets, countries will have a greater incentive to send top-tier athletes, and public interest in the event could also rise.
Other continental multi-sport events are held in a similar manner.
Continental multi-sport events in other regions, such as the Pan American Games, the European Games, and the African Games, are all held one year prior to the opening of the Olympics.
The IOC is also showing a positive stance toward this direction.
Kirsty Coventry, President of the IOC, who recently visited the site of the Nagoya Asian Games, expressed support for the OCA's vision to postpone the Asian Games by a year.
In an interview with China's Xinhua News Agency, IOC President Coventry said, "Continental sports organizations are encouraging the holding of multi-sport games one year before the Olympics so they can be utilized as Olympic qualifiers," adding, "We expect the OCA and the Asian Games to move in that direction."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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