Covid-19 in China: top-tier sporting events on hold in countdown to Communist Party’s national congress

Hangzhou was expected to host Asian Games in September but organisers say it will now take place at another time

Decision taken ‘after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the games’

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The Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium was going to be the main stadium for the 19th Asian Games. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:10pm, 6 May 2022Updated: 2:24am, 7 May 2022

Two major sporting events in China have been postponed and another cancelled, with observers pointing to concerns about Covid-19 in the run-up to the Communist Party’s national congress.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Friday that the 2022 Asian Games scheduled to be held in Hangzhou in September would be postponed.

“The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that the 19th Asian Games, originally scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 10 to 25, 2022, will be postponed,” the council said.

New dates for the sporting contest “will be announced at a later date”.

In early April, Hangzhou organisers said all 56 competition venues for the games had been completed and test events were continuing as the city prepared to host more than 11,000 athletes from 44 nations and territories.

The OCA said on Friday that the decision “was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the games”.

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