First Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games co-ordination meeting held

“We’ve seen great and encouraging progress in the preparation of the Games…and with the able leadership of IAPGOC President Kim Sung Il and his dedicated team, there is no doubt that come October, Incheon will be able to deliver an exciting, memorable and inspiring sporting showcase to the world. "

The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) and Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games Organising Committee (IAPGOC) successfully held its first Main Coordination Commission (MCC) Meeting on Friday (21 February), which aimed to tighten preparations and ensure the smooth running of October’s Games, scheduled in the port city of Incheon.

The meeting, the first initiated after the formalisation of the 2014 Asian Para Games Host Contract Agreement last month, was attended by APC President Dato Zainal Abu Zarin, IAPGOC President Kim Sung IL, APC board members and co-ordination team and the various heads of the Games’ Organising Committee.

This year’s Asian Para Games in Incheon from 18-24 October will feature 5,000 athletes and officials who will be involved in 23 sports. This is an increase on the 19 sports that were contested at the last Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, China.

Prior to the MCC meeting, a two-day meeting involving IAPGOC’s sub-committees and APC Co-ordination team, was held at the same venue.

Areas covered during the MCC meeting include Games Planning and Operation, Sports, Ceremonies, Venues and Facilities, Games IT, Medical Service and Anti-doping, Classification, Accommodation, Transportation, Media, Broadcast and Promotion, Volunteers, Accreditation, Protocol and NPC Services.

The Asian Para Games will take place 14 days after the conclusion of the 17th Asian Games which will be held at the same venues in Incheon. The Asian Para Games is scheduled from 19 September - 4 October 2014.

In conjunction with the MCC Meeting, the APC delegation also inspected the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium and the Games Athletes Village.

APC President Dato Zainal Abu Zarin expressed satisfaction over the preparation of the 2014 Games, saying that Incheon had clearly shown its commitment and promise to deliver the best Asian Para Games ever.

“We’ve seen great and encouraging progress in the preparation of the Games…and with the able leadership of IAPGOC President Kim Sung Il and his dedicated team, there is no doubt that come October, Incheon will be able to deliver an exciting, memorable and inspiring sporting showcase to the world.

“Challenges do come along the way, but with the great collaboration between APC and IAPGOC, I believe, come what may, we will sail through and have a great seven-day Games in October 2014,” he said.

Apart from the core preparation work, APC and IAPGOC, are working out plans to reach out to as many spectators and international audience through a concerted promotion plan which includes intensive media campaign, wider international television coverage and effective promotional activities.

“This include working out an effective media, television and social media initiatives which would help spread awareness, excitement and action of the Games across Asia as well as the global audience,” said Zainal.

Zainal added that the staging of the 2014 Asian Para Games would significantly project the profile of Incheon as a disabled-friendly city which promotes equality in sports and life, as well creating a dynamic and inclusive society.

Carrying the theme “A Passion of Wave, Now Begins”, the 23 sports included at the Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games are: athletics, swimming, football 5-a-side, sitting volleyball, goalball, wheelchair tennis, archery, badminton, boccia, table tennis, wheelchair rugby, shooting, football 7-a-side, wheelchair basketball, lawn bowls, cycling, judo, wheelchair dance, sailing, tenpin bowling, rowing, wheelchair fencing and powerlifting.