Dubai: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has announced the postponement of the sixth edition of the Asian Beach Games, scheduled to be held in Sanya city, Hainan province, in China at the end of this year.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the OCA has said that the sixth edition of the Asian Beach Games to be held from November 28 to December 6 will now be held at a later date as decided by the organisers in future.
“The Olympic Council of Asia and the Chinese Olympic Committee are in discussion to reschedule the dates of the Sanya Asian Beach Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the OCA statement said.
“The three parties have been in constant contact all year regarding the Asian Beach Games in Sanya and are closely monitoring the situation on a daily basis and working together closely to adjust the dates, if required,” it added.
Often described as the second largest Asian multi-sport event, after the Asian Games, the Beach Games enjoy an increasing popularity due to the low cost of temporary venues with beaches and water already available.
So far, six countries have hosted the Asian Beach Games with participation from 45 five nations starting with the inaugural edition held in Bali, Indonesia in 2008. The most recent edition was held in Danang, Vietnam from September 24-October 3, 2016.
This year’s sixth edition in China was supposed to be the first to break away from the two-year cycle of the Beach Games.
“Once a decision has been made, OCA jointly with Chinese Olympic Committee and the Sanya Asian Beach Organising Committee will announce the new dates regarding the sixth Asian Beach Games,” the OCA statement said.
In June, the organising committee of the Beach Games had revealed the design of the medals to be given to the winners later this year. The front of the medal comprises two parts with the first part a circle symbolising the brilliance of the sun and the moon, while the second part decorates the rest of the medal and depicts the natural scenery of Sanya.
The back of the medal features the OCA logo, highlighted by the dragon, falcon and shining sun, and the side of the medal is engraved with the phrase “Welcome to Tianya Haijiao” in English.
Tianya Haijiao, meaning “the edge of the sky and the rim of the sea”, is the most famous tourist hotspot in Sanya due to its spectacular rock formations at the foot of Maling Mountain.
