The OCA conducted the first meeting of technical delegates for the 2018 Asian Games ©OCA

All renovation and development work on the infrastructure needed for the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang will be completed by the end of October, it has been claimed.


Indonesia's Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Gatot S. Dewa Broto, made the claim during the first technical delegates meeting.

Dewa Broto gave assurances to the 180 delegates, which included representatives from Asian and International Sports Federations, venue managers, competition managers and Organising Committee members, at the meeting in Jakarta.

He also said Indonesian President Joko Widodo had urged all Government Ministers in the country to "accelerate their preparations" for the Games, scheduled to run from August 18 to September 2.

A host of topics were discussed at the meeting, including test events which are due to be held later this year.

Competitions in archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, football, pencak silat, taekwondo, volleyball and weightlifting are all set to take place between October and November.

They will all feature athletes from 10 National Olympic Committees apart from football, which will involve an eight-team tournament.

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) sports director Haider Farman admitted staging the Asian Games in two different Indonesian cities represented a challenge for the Organising Committee, but he insisted the nation would "make it a landmark for the future" by hosting a successful event.

"We have had this experience with other Games and we managed it successfully thanks to the spirit of teamwork," he said.

Officials said Indonesia's preparations for next year's Asian Games were on track ©Getty Images
Officials said Indonesia's preparations for next year's Asian Games were on track ©Getty Images

"We are creating a sustainable event and a good platform for our athletes. 

"When they come here they will see that everything has been done in order for them to perform at their best. 

"We are nothing without the athletes."

Farman also briefed the delegates on the eligibility of athletes, entry deadlines and sports regulations.

"The Asian Games has special features," OCA honorary life vice-president Wei Jizhong said.

"The Asian Games is not like the Olympic Games. 

"We have the Olympic sports, including the five new sports added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and we have non-Olympic sports. 

"Also, the Asian Games is not an edition of the Asian Sports Championships because we have different laws."