Asian Games can accommodate more athletes, says OCA chief
Top official says there are no plans to introduce qualifying standards and the number of competitors would be cut only if they surpass 20,000
There are no plans to introduce qualifying standards for the Asian Games as there is still room to accommodate more athletes, said top official Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah as the 17th edition came to an end yesterday.
With costs rising to stage the quadrennial showpiece - it cost Incheon US$2 billion which is cheap compared with the US$20 billion for the 2010 Guangzhou Games - there have been calls from some quarters to cut back on numbers participating.
But Sheikh Ahmad, the president of the Olympic Council of Asia, said athletes, especially in team sports, would still be freely able to participate and there were no plans to bring in an Olympic-style qualifying process.
If we reach the 20,000 mark, then perhaps it will be time to think of bringing in a qualifying process
"It is not necessary to have a qualifying process for the Asian Games. We have room to grow and accommodate more athletes and officials [at the Athletes' Village]," said Sheikh Ahmad.
"Right now we have around 15,000 athletes and officials at these Games.
"If we reach the 20,000 mark, then perhaps it will be time to think of bringing in a qualifying process."
The Incheon Games was attended by 9,500 athletes and around half that number of officials. It was open season for many of the team sports, which did not have pre-qualifying standards.
"In football, for example, there were 29 teams in both the men's and women's competition resulting in the competition having to start four days before the opening ceremony.
