Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesia Para Games 2018 Organizing Committee (INAPGOC) said here on Thursday that all venues had been ready for the Asian Para Games 2018 from Oct 6 to 13.

"All venues have been made ready for use as most of them are former Asian Games 2018 venues," Director of Sport Division Fanny Riawan stated at a press conference.

She noted that the committee had prepared 19 venues for 18 sport branches, adding that all venues are located in the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan.

Eight of the venues within the GBK complex include the Basketball Hall, the shooting range, the GBK main stadium, Tennis Indoor, aquatic pool, archery field, hockey field, and Istora Senayan.

Eleven others are at Cempaka Putih Sports Hall (Crntral Jakarta), JI Expo Kemayoran )Central Jakarta), velodromf (East Jakarta), GOR POPKI (East Jakarta), Balai Kartini (South Jakarta), Balai Sudirman (South Jakarta), Econvention Ancol (North Jakarta), Jaya Ancol Bowling Center (North Jakarta), and Sentul International Circuit (Bogor, West Java).

"All the arenas have indeed been ready for use, but additional facilities are still needed to be provided, especially for wheelchair athletes, such as ramps, portable chairs for the disabled, and stage for wheelchair spectators," Riawan remarked.

She noted that overlaying work was still underway at the GBK shooting range, while repair was also being made at the arena for wheelchair tennis, adding it has been 90 percent completed, and so she believed it would be fully completed and ready for use by Sept 30.

The Asian Para Games will involve the participation of 2.8 thousand athletes from 41 countries, 1.8 thousand officials, and 500 local and foreign media organizations.

As many as 18 sports to be competed in the event are basketball, volleyball, fencing, table tennis, swimming, shooting, judo, cycling, chess, weight lifting, bowling, goal ball, badminton, running, archery, boccia, handball, and tennis.

As a mark of appreciation and respect for athletes with disabilities, President Joko Widodo had earlier stated that the Asian Para Games athletes, who win medals, will be treated at par with the medalists at the previous Asian Games.

Reporting by Rr. Cornea Khairany
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi, Eliswan

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