RP to host 2014 Asian Beach Games

MANILA, Philippines—For more than half a century, the Philippines has not hosted a multisport event as significant as the Asian Games.

The Olympic Council of Asia broke this spell recently after it awarded to the country the hosting of the 2014 Asian Beach Games.

Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Steve Hontiveros Monday said OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah would fly to Manila on April 1 to make the announcement.

POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., adviser to the OCA president, invited Al-Sabah to the Philippines to inspect the possible venues of the Asian Beach Games in Cebu, Boracay and Davao.

Cojuangco, who paid Al-Sabah a visit at the OCA headquarters in Kuwait last January along with Hontiveros and POC deputy secretary general Mark Joseph, will also accompany the sheikh to the proposed site of the country’s athletes’ village in Clark Field, Pampanga.

Hontiveros said Al-Sabah would meet with the POC executive board on April 1 to officially award the hosting of the 2014 Asian Beach Games.

Ramon “Tats” Suzara, the Qatar-based former consultant of the Philippine Sports Commission, would be in-charge of the organizing committee for the games, which will see the participation of OCA’s 45 member-countries.

The first Asian Beach Games will be held this year in Bali, Indonesia, on Oct. 18-26.

Sports included in the games include beach volleyball, beach handball, beach sepak takraw, marathon, swimming and beach soccer.

source: http://sports.inquirer.net