By Nick Butler at the Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa Karon


OCA director general Husain Al Musallam believes any country in Asia would be capable of hosting the first World Beach Games ©OCAAlmost any country in Asia would be capable of hosting the first World Beach Games with the balance of power having shifted to to the continent from Europe when it comes to putting on major events, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) director general Husain Al Musallam claimed here today. 



The official, a vice-president of the International Swimming Federation and a staunch ally of Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, was speaking shortly before the conclusion of the fourth Asian Beach Games here, which followed previous Asian events in Bali, Muscat and Haiyang.


All four Asian Beach Games locations, as well as 2016 host nation Vietnam, were cited as potential hosts for the inaugural global event, likely to be held for the first time in 2017.


"Asia is full of sand and water," he said


"It is capable to host the World Beach Games, from East to West and North to South, it is ready to host the Games or any event," he said.


Asia has become the destination of choice for the Olympic and Paralympics with the continent due to host the next three Games - Pyeongchang in 2018, Tokyo in 2020 and either Almaty or Beijing in 2022. 


"If you look at the Olympic Games now, Asia is hosting most of the events when before it was Europe," said Al Musallam. 


"Due to the financial situation now, the other part of the globe is in a better situation - Asia."

Thailand, the host nation whose population has so embraced Phuket 2014, is the only Asian nation that has publicly expressed its wish to host the inaugural World Beach Games ©Phuket 2014Thailand, the host nation whose population has so embraced Phuket 2014, is the only Asian nation that has publicly expressed its wish to host the inaugural World Beach Games ©Phuket 2014




Thailand is the only Asian nation to have publicly expressed its wish to host the Games, although Sheikh Ahmad, whose ANOC body is organising the inaugural event in a collaboration with SportAccord, has claimed various other unnamed cities have expressed interest,

No announcement is expected to be made until at next year's ANOC General Assembly in Washington DC in October.

Al Musallam warmly praised the success of Phuket 2014, an event he believes has proved that the beach and water sports concept has "a very bright future".

It is also "very nice product" for television, he said.

Al Musallam also praised the seven sports - beach athletics, ju-jitsu, kurash, sambo, beach flag football, modern pentathlon and squash - that made their Asian Beach Games debuts here.

He also picked out as athletes from smaller nations, such as Syrian high jump champion Majd Eddin Ghazal, who have made an impression.

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