3rd Asian Youth Games to start in November next year

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Wednesday announced that China will be hosting the 3rd Asian Youth Games in November next year. The coastal city of Shantou in southern China will remain as hosts for the event that will be played between November 20-28 next year in 2021. 

The multi-sporting event will witness the young athletes from all the Asian countries competing with each other across 18 sporting disciplines during the nine-day event. This development takes place when the entire world is facing the difficulty due to the coronavirus and all the sporting events either getting canceled or postponed. 

Olympic Council of Asia Director-General, Husain Al Musallam wrote in a letter addressing all the members of the National Olympic Committee (NOCs) saying: “

 “The OCA while maintaining a very strict isolation policy is still continuing its activity and liaising with the various Asian Games Organizing Committee to ensure that the preparations for the Games are not hindered.”

“In this respect, I have the pleasure to inform you that the OCA in coordination with the Shantou 3rd Asian Youth Games Organizing Committee (SAYGOC) has decided the dates and sports programme of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, which are as follows: – Dates: 20th to 28th November 2021,” the letter added.

The sporting events that will be played in Youth Games are as follows: Athletics, Aquatics (Swimming, Diving & Water Polo), Badminton, Basketball (3×3), Beach Volleyball, Dragon Boat Racing, Football, Gymnastics, Golf, Handball, Hip Hop Dance, Rock Climbing, Rugby, Surfing, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Wind Surfing, Wushu.

Last week, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee along with the International Olympic Association (IOC) mutually agreed to call off this year’s Summer Games and shift them to the next summers due to the coronavirus.