INCHEON: Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) executive board on Friday approved Indonesia as the host for the 2018 Asian Games, which face a growing battle to find a place because of the cost.
Sports leader continent must find a replacement quickly after Vietnam said in April that he could no longer afford to hold the next Asian Games.
"Today has been approved by the EB (executive board), which in 2018 will be the next Asian Games in Jakarta in Indonesia," said Council President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah-.
The general assembly of the body must stamp the decision on Saturday. But Sheikh Amad stressed that the special assembly earlier had given "authority to decide and find a replacement to Vietnam."
Ade Lukman, an official of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, said the state was pleased. "Being selected to host the Asian Games is an honor for the people of Indonesia," he told AFP.
OCA executive meeting in Incheon ahead of the opening of the 17th Asian Games on Friday.
Multi-sport event in the world after this year will feature 13,000 athletes, coaches and officials from 45 countries across 36 Olympic sports.
Vietnam was originally chosen to host the 18 games in 2019, but resigned blaming the impact of the economic crisis. Indonesia immediately becomes the favorite to take the exhibition event with no other serious candidates.
OCA event was originally scheduled for 2019 to avoid a clash with the Olympics. 2018 Winter Olympics are in South Korea and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
But OCA Jakarta told that if they were to host the Asian Games, it will be a year earlier, in 2018, because of the presidential elections scheduled for 2019.
In an effort to show the original, Indonesia's second largest city filed in the country, Surabaya, as the host.
But officials have now decided to make the capital city of Jakarta main host, the event is also planned for other cities, including Palembang and Bandung.
Indonesia last staged the Asian Games in 1962 in Jakarta. "These cities have had a stadium and facilities of international standard .... they are well equipped," Lukman said, adding there are also plans for a new facility.
Indonesia Southeast Asian Games staged in 2011 but ran into problems, with some places not ready on time and the deaths of two people in a raid on the football final.
But Lukman insists: "We are better prepared and we are sure we will not have the same problems that we saw during the SEA Games."
Indonesian boxing star Chris John, who retired last year after dethroned as world featherweight champion, said it was "great news" Indonesia will host the event.
"I think it will help raise the profile of Indonesia in the world, and I'm sure it will give the home team we are more confident when they compete," he told AFP.
Sheikh Ahmad said that no decision had been taken on whether the 19 games going back to it original slot come 2023 or the previous year in 2022 after Indonesian switch.
He also refused to be drawn on the exact number of sports in Indonesia, but said OCA will not return to the discipline of the disputed 42 in Guangzhou, China four years ago.
Surabaya was in November 2012 pipped by Hanoi to host next Asian Games after Dubai draw before the vote.
The victory sparked celebrations among Vietnamese officials, who said the decision would open up millions of dollars in infrastructure investment.
But with the economy in crisis, sports infrastructure rot and boring athletic records, public sentiment has never swung behind the official campaign.
Officials said host the Asian Games can cost about $ 150 million Vietnamese and would require the construction of a new sports stadium and athletes 'village'.
Experts say the real cost of two week's game will be much higher.
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