IOC President Bach will step down to call Asia a "decisive chapter" of his term

The 45th Congress of the Asian Olympic Council opened in Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait on the evening of the 11th. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Chairman-elect Kosti Coventry attended. In his speech, Bach expressed emotion that Asia is the "decisive chapter" of his term. He specifically mentioned that the three Olympic Games held in Asia - the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the Tokyo Olympics and the Beijing Winter Olympics are historic achievements in special challenges, demonstrating the "human-made spirit" in Asia.

Bach was awarded the Medal of Merit of the Asian Olympic Council on the same day. He is about to step down in June this year and admitted: "In my heart, Asia has always been a special place. I am very grateful for the wonderful moments we have experienced together... I will not say goodbye today, but I will only say there will be a period of time later."

Bach's term as president will end until the end of Olympic Day on June 23 this year, and Coventry will officially take office on June 24.

President of the Asian Olympic Council Raja Randir Singh said in a written speech that the Asian Olympic movement is currently in its best period in history. The venues for the next three Asian Games have been confirmed: Japan Aichi-Nagoya in 2026, Doha in 2030, and Riyadh in 2034.

First Vice Chairman of the Asian Olympic Council, Ho Zhenting, said in his speech that Kuwait, as the headquarters of the Asian Olympic Council, is the "heart of the Asian Olympic movement." He reviewed the decades of achievements of the Asian Olympic Council, and this conference will "continue the tradition of solidarity and pave the way for the future of the Asian Olympic Games."

Chinese basketball celebrity Yao Ming delivered a speech as a special guest. He took his experience in the Sydney Olympics as an example and emphasized that sports have the power to break barriers. "In the Olympic Village in Sydney, I tried to find myself in a group photo of ten thousand people. Although I was tall, I still couldn't find it. I realized the insignificance of individuals and the greatness of the collective. Sports can break barriers and barriers for global youth."

This conference lasts for two days, and the subsequent agenda will focus on issues such as the development of Asian youth sports and the optimization of the event system.