REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The organizing of multi-branch international sports championships such as the Asian Games is not only a matter of victory and competition among athletes. Director General Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Husain Al-Mussalam said Asian Games also promote the development of sports for the benefit of international friendship.

"Not only Bangladesh, but also all media and people certainly expect their respective contingents to win. But, every country has a priority. Our responsibility is to work together with participating countries to develop sports," Al-Mussalam stated at a press conference at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday.

Al-Mussalam said Bangladesh and other countries did not return home with empty hand even though they did not win any medal. "Bangladesh certainly prioritizes other matters such as handling flood disasters that occur in the country. Some of the participating countries in the Asian Games are developing countries that have their own problems in their country," he said.

The OCA called for people and the media in Asia to help raise the spirits of athletes in every country even though they did not win any medals at the 2018 Asian Games. "Athletes from these countries do not get any medal here. But, it is not a mistake. It is just the beginning for the development of sports for athletes, such as a Yemeni swimmer who has to practice under difficult conditions as a war is still taking place in the country," Al-Mussalam said.

In addition to the victory, the Chairman of the Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee (INASGOC), Erick Thohir, stressed that organizing multi-sports events was not only related to income for the host country, but also related to humanitarian aspects such as building international solidarity.

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