Jakarta Ready To Be Main Host Of Asian Games

Jakarta is ready to be the main facilitator if Indonesia was chosen as the host ASIAN Games, as told by the head of the Bureau of International Cooperation and Regional Head of Jakarta Government Iwan Henry Ward over the phone.

Support Jakarta, as the capital and most comprehensive sports infrastructure owners, to be important in Indonesia as the host of candidacy, according to Iwan. He pointed out that without the support of Jakarta as the main proponent of the facility, Surabaya fail run as host ASIAN Games 2019.

In 2012, Surabaya was run as host ASIAN Games in 2019, but ended up losing by Hanoi, Vietnam. But, on April 24, 2014, Vietnam officially resigned as the organizer of the biggest sporting event in Asia for reasons of inability to stage the scale like ASIAN Games.

Indonesia then returned to volunteer as hosts, but by asking Jakarta as a major city.

"Thanks to Jakarta, opportunities are opening up again," said Iwan.

However, not all sports will be contested in the capital. "In Jakarta impossible organized beach volleyball, while the bike path can use Subang and shooting facilities in Palembang," said Iwan.

Regarding areas that will host ASIAN Games, Iwan said that the division will be taken care of after no certainty Indonesia as the host, with Kemenpora as the main authority holders. Including also issues cost estimates and funding issues.

Besides Indonesia, other countries who volunteered after Vietnam retreat is India. Asian Olympic Committee will render a decision when ASIAN Games 17 held in September 2014 in Incheon, South Korea.

On 7-8 August, the Olympic Committee of Asia will come to Indonesia to see the readiness as the host. Earlier, in late July 2014, the chairman of KOI Indonesia, Rita Subowo, accompanied by the Deputy Governor of Jakarta and Iwan has visited the Olympic Committee of Asia in Kuwait.