"The OCA will be chaired by President Ahmed Al-Sabah, and they will decide on the changes in the contract. We are looking forward to their presence," Secretary General of the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) 2018 Eris Herryanto stated here on Wednesday.
Herryanto acknowledged the negotiations held in connection with the contract, including the use of budget from sponsors before the opening ceremony on August 18, 2018.
"That is part of marketing," he remarked.
On Monday (Sept 25), Herryanto said the presence of OCA leaders on Oct 14 to finalize new agreements with the council in accordance with the expected developments in Indonesia is related to the preparations for the Asian Games.
In addition to renegotiating the contract of the Asian Games, the OCA will send its representatives to serve as auditors of the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta, following the OCA Executive Boards query on the arenas age and capacity.
"They will visit Jakarta to conduct an audit of the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium," he remarked.
On July 18, INASGOC Chairman Erick Thohir expressed keenness to negotiate with the OCA regarding the use of budget from sponsors prior to the opening ceremony of the Asian Games on August 18, 2018.
Thohir said the sponsors, who had agreed to support the cooperation contract of the Asian Games until July 2017, were overseas companies that had inked agreements with the OCA.
The INASGOC 2018 said there was no option for Indonesia to negotiate the number of sporting disciplines to be competed in at the Asian Games next year during the OCA meeting on Sept 15-16.
"We had tried (to negotiate) at the meeting in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), but the OCA executives still considered the decision taken at the 7th coordination meeting of Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on Aug 18 as final and binding," INASGOC secretary general Eris Heryanto noted.
The INASGOC did not announce the result of the coordination meeting, as Indonesia was still aspiring to maintain the number at 39.
"The OCA viewed the meeting in Jakarta as a high-level one, so if we failed to use the opportunity, no hope would be left to realize a change," he remarked.
Based on the outcome of a coordination meeting with the OCA in Jakarta on Aug 18, Indonesia will offer 40 sporting disciplines during the 18th Asian Games 2018, which is one more than the country wishes to host.
The additional sporting discipline to be competed in the games is a roller sport comprising two events: skateboarding and roller skating.
"The OCA states that the sporting discipline will be competed in at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020; hence, it must be available at the Asian Games 2018. The addition of the sporting discipline is an official request of the OCA," he noted.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
