Asian Games 2022 postponed due to major COVID-19 outbreak in China

The country has been battling the pandemic for a long time now.

In a major setback, the 2022 Asian Games have been postponed indefinitely. The multi-sport event was scheduled to take place from 10 September 2022 onwards. However, there were serious doubts over its smooth organization due to the fresh COVID-19 wave in China. The host city of Hangzhou is a short distance away from Shanghai. In the neighbouring city, the surging cases have led to fresh lockdowns.

The capital city of Beijing is also witnessing an outbreak of omicron cases and testing on a large scale. The organizers are not able to provide an alternative date for the Asian Games. Until recently, there were positive signs given by the organizing committee. They used the Winter Olympics in Beijing as a reference.

The plan was to introduce a strict bio-bubble and ensure a successful organization of the Asian Games, the biggest multi-sport event in Asia.

A major setback but a necessary measure

The announcement comes as a disappointment for the athletes that were preparing for the Asian Games. The Australian Olympic Committee had refused to send their athletes to the games citing the rising COVID cases in the country. Apparently, the Olympic Council of Asia invited a total of 300 athletes and 150 staff from Oceanic nations for the first time in the mega event.

The decision, while disappointing, is a sensible one. It will most likely cause huge financial and logistical headaches for the rest of the calendar year, but it will ensure the safety of everyone involved. The health of the athletes and staff involved in the Asian Games takes priority. 

The calendar year 2022 is packed with several high-level multi-sport events. Therefore, the organizers are not able to release a later date when the Asian Games will take place, as it will have a domino effect on other events too. Furthermore, this will have implications for qualification for the upcoming Paris Olympics.

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