Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) will closely observe performance of the participating athletes of concern federations in the 17th Asian Games and will take effective steps to ensure more good performance for the future international events.
“It’s a clear message for all athletes that their performance will be segregated after the games. Those who will fail to show their performance will be brought under training and if demand, we’ll arrange a talent hunt program bringing players from different districts across the country, said the BOA secretary general Syed Shahed Reza at a press conference held at the BOA conference room last noon.
The BOA secretary general said they are expecting medals in cricket, kabaddi and hockey disciplines considering their performance in the last edition of the Games.
He said apart from three disciplines they are also expecting medals from shooting, gymnastic and archery events. “As the next SA Gamers will be held in India next year in April so this Games is very important for the athlete to prepare themselves for the games.After the Asian Games we’ll call a coordination meeting to the concern federation officials to set up our plan for the next SA Games.”
State Minister for Youth and Sports Sri Biren Sikder MP, who was present at the press conference, also hoped that the athlete would able to bring honor for the country showing their best performance. BOA vice president and Games chef-de-mission Sheikh Boshir Ahmed and BOA deputy secretary general and Games deputy chef-de-mission Badal Roy were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, a large contingent of 166 members will represent Bangladesh in the 17th Asian Games to be held on September 19 to October 4 in Incheon, the South Korean city, to host the Games after 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010.
BOA vice president Sheikh Boshir Ahmed has been named as chef-de-mission to lead the Bangladesh contingent comprising 126 sportspersons and 40 coaches cum managers. BOA deputy secretary general Badal Roy named as deputy chef-de-mission.
The gala opening ceremony will be held at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium. The venue has an all-seater capacity of 61,074 seats, with 30,000 seats are variable after the Games with 439 events in 36 sports and disciplines set to feature in the Games. Bangladesh will compete in 13 out of 36 disciplines of the Games.
The disciplines archery, cricket, hockey, kabaddi, fencing, golf, gymnastics, karate, shooting, taekwondo, beach volleyball and Wusu. BOA decided to send these federations in the Asian Games after considering their results in the last Asian Game and Bangladesh Games.
The football event of the Games will begin on September 14, six days before start of the Games. Bangladesh Under-23 team is expected to leave for Incheon on Monday (Sept-8).
