Preparations for Asian Winter Games progress smoothly

The 43rd General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia was held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 11.

The organizing committee for the 9th Asian Winter Games provided updates on the progress of preparations in various aspects, such as competition organization, venue renovations, service provisions, promotion of the Asian Winter Games image, city quality enhancement, and the scheduling of key events.

The 9th Asian Winter Games is scheduled to be held in Harbin, capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province, in 2025.

As of now, the upcoming Games have finalized a comprehensive competition program consisting of six major events, 11 sub-events, and 64 sub-categories.

Registration by event and participants commenced on April 30. The overall competition schedule has been agreed upon by the Olympic Council of Asia and will be formulated for each individual event after the registration period ends.

Technical representatives for events, including speed skating, short-track speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, curling, alpine skiing, and ski mountaineering, have been confirmed.

Venue renovation work is progressing steadily. Seven competition venues and three training facilities are either undergoing renovations or being newly constructed.

The upgrading and renovation of competition venues began on March 31, with completion and functionality checks scheduled for Oct 31. Test events will commence in early November.

Also, 38 hotels have been designated as accommodations for athletes, technical officials, media personnel, and the OCA family.

In terms of service provisions, the organizing committee has taken into consideration the diverse cultural customs, religions, and dietary habits of various Asian countries and regions. Services will be available 20 hours a day during the Games.

A total of 31 designated hospitals and medical service points at each venue have been identified. Plans for two pre-competition doping control stations and five in-competition control stations have been finalized.

Elsewhere, the recruitment of volunteers for the Games has seen an overwhelming response nationwide, with over 100,000 applicants and 6,600 volunteers selected.

Regarding event promotion and city quality enhancement, the Asian Winter Games emblem, themed slogan and mascots have been unveiled, and the official website is now operational.

By leveraging the Games, urban construction, environmental management, transportation upgrades, and venue improvements are currently underway in Harbin.