Organisers of the 16th Asian Games in GuangZhou, china, in November provided the OCA and 45 National Olympic Committees with a progress report during a Chefs de Mission Seminar in Muscat on Wednesday (July 14) afternoon.

Sun Xiuqing, Deputy Director of the Games Communication & Promotion Department and Spokesperson for the 16th Asian Games, said that so far 29 NOCs had submitted their entry by number, resulting in a figure of 7,287 athletes. This left 16 NOCs still to submit their forms, and the OCA urged them to do so as soon as possible. The deadline is July 31.

Sun Xiuqing, Deputy Director of the Games Communication & Promotion Department

The draws for the team sports will be held in September, but the date cannot be fixed until GAGOC receives all entries from the 45 NOCs.

Mr Sun pointed out that the 42 sports on the Asian Games programme will use 53 competition venues and 17 training venues, and 56 of them had been completed and handed over to the organising committee. The majority of the remaining 14 will be completed this month, with only three finishing in August.

In addition, construction of the Asian Games Town – which includes the Athletes’ Village – has been completed and staff have already moved in to prepare for the official opening of the village on November 5 – one week before the start of the November 12-27 Asiad.

OCA Life Vice President Wei Jizhong urged all the NOCs to respect the deadlines of the organisers to ensure a smooth build-up to the Games in the next few months.

“The OCA has an open entry policy for the team sports, with no qualifying, but we must warn you that if an NOC enters a team and then withdraws after the draw you will be sanctioned and punished financially by the OCA,” said Mr Wei.

“Send in your entries by number and by name as soon as possible because this benefits the organisers, the OCA and the NOCs.”