IOC, OCA chiefs to tour Asian Games athletes' village ahead of Games

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani will visit the athletes' village of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 20, a day after the opening ceremony.

Coventry and Sheikh Joaan will tour the Garden Pier section of the village and interact with athletes from various National Olympic Committees (NOCs), it was announced at the Chefs de Mission meeting here on Monday.

The two presidents will visit Garden Pier at 11am on September 20, following the opening ceremony of the Asian Games on September 19.

The Aichi-Nagoya Games do not have a traditional athletes' village, with athletes and officials from 45 NOCs being accommodated across a cruise liner, temporary Asian Games villas at Garden Pier and hotels in Nagoya city and Aichi prefecture.

The cruise liner will dock at Kinjo Pier in the Port of Nagoya on Tuesday, with a welcome ceremony scheduled for 1pm. Athletes will begin boarding the vessel from the following day.

The Chefs de Mission meeting also discussed the protocol for Team Welcome Ceremonies, which will be held from September 16 to 18 at the Athletes' Interaction Area of the Athletes Plaza at Garden Pier.

Three ceremonies will be held each day at 10am, 1.30pm and 5pm, with each lasting 30 minutes. The ceremonies will include a cultural performance, NOC flag-raising, playing of the national anthem and a souvenir exchange. A tree-planting ceremony will also be held during the first session each day.

The OCA Refugee Team/Asian Refugee Team, comprising two taekwondo athletes, will be officially welcomed into the village at 10am on September 18.

The meeting also informed delegation leaders that a safeguarding officers' meeting will be held on September 21, while meetings for NOC team doctors are scheduled for September 18 and October 3.

The esports draw will be conducted on September 17, while details of the OCA Athletes' Committee election, to be held during the Asian Games, will be presented at the next Chefs de Mission meeting on September 16.

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