New bug attack clouds Games opening<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (Reuters): The Asian Games -- the unlucky 13th -- open
\nin Bangkok on Sunday with Thailand's crippling economic recession
\non harsh display but organizers hoping the \"Asian Way\" of
\ncompromise gets them through the next two weeks.<\/p>\n
On the eve of the Games, the event was hit by a new insect
\nplague and a transport strike that had threatened athlete
\ntraining was narrowly averted.<\/p>\n
Mongolia's soccer team had its own problems even before the
\nopening ceremony when it went down to a Games record 15-0 defeat
\nto defending champion Uzbekistan in a qualifying round match.<\/p>\n
Bug spray, an army of workers, much bending of rules and even
\nKing Bhumibol Adulyadej came to the rescue in the last hours
\nbefore the start of the Dec. 6-Dec. 20 Games.<\/p>\n
The extra bug spray was deployed when insects invaded the
\ngymnastics hall after earlier swarming over swimming pools.<\/p>\n
\"After dark, as soon as we put the lights on, the mosquitoes
\nattack,\" said Iranian gymnastics coach Mohammad Azarpay.<\/p>\n
Thailand's reputation is not the only thing at stake during
\nthe Games, which are the last major sporting event in Asia this
\ncentury, involving 41 nations and nearly 7,000 athletes.<\/p>\n
The future shape of the tournament is also under scrutiny.<\/p>\n
There will be competition in 36 sports, with inclusion for the
\nfirst time of sports like rugby union and snooker.<\/p>\n
But many officials want a leaner and meaner Games to take
\nadvantage of millions of dollars in sponsorship and television
\nrights now available for international sports.<\/p>\n
They say that to reach the pot of gold the Asian Games needs
\nto clean up its act.<\/p>\n
They argue it must drop past attitudes of leaving things until
\nthe last minute and being more concerned about giving everyone a
\nchance to compete and win a medal than putting on a
\nprofessionally run sporting extravaganza.<\/p>\n
The debate involves issues like setting minimum performance
\nstandards for entries, doing away with sports that do not have
\nwide public appeal and penalties for teams that pull out of
\ncompetitions at the last minute.<\/p>\n
\"We are at a crossroads in these Games,\" said Santiparb
\nTejavanija, the senior organizer of this year's Games. \"Thailand
\nwill be a case study for the future of the Games.\"<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia's last minute withdrawal, late decisions by
\ncountries to pull out of some sports and non-arrival of entry
\nforms have played havoc with scheduling arrangements so vital for
\nsponsors and television coverage.<\/p>\n
State of affairs<\/p>\n
Many outsiders are baffled at the state of affairs, given
\nThailand's experience in hosting three previous Asian Games.<\/p>\n
Unfinished road links threaten traffic, the pitch of the main
\nsoccer stadium has been called unplayable, and equestrians fear
\nhorses could be crippled by conditions at their arenas.<\/p>\n
Frequent changes of government, murky Bangkok politics,
\nallegations of graft and corruption as well as the Asian economic
\ncrisis are blamed as reasons for the chaos.<\/p>\n
The inactivity was such three years ago there were even some
\ncalls for the Games to be taken away from Thailand.<\/p>\n
Financial troubles dogged the Games until the final hours.<\/p>\n
Drivers of a fleet of motor tricycles assigned to transport
\nathletes and officials between venues briefly went on strike on
\nSaturday complaining they had not been paid for two weeks.<\/p>\n
They returned to work when money came through after phone
\ncalls to Games organizers from team officials angry that athletes
\ncould not get in last-minute training.<\/p>\n
Bangkok's notorious traffic is still the biggest headache.<\/p>\n
In a bid to help avoid gridlock, King Bhumibol has rearranged
\nhis arrival and departure times at the Sunday night opening
\nceremony so it does not coincide with peak times.<\/p>\n
Games organizers say all 60,000 tickets have been taken up for
\nthe opening ceremony but nearly half of them appear to be free
\npasses for VIPs, leaving many ticketless fans disgruntled.<\/p>\n
There have also been wide complaints about spectators not
\nreceiving tickets even though they have paid up front for them.<\/p>\n
On the sports front, China, both the star and the shame of the
\nlast Games in Hiroshima, will bid to surpass its haul of 137
\ngolds in 1994. The Chinese have been Asian Games champions since
\n1982.<\/p>\n
They have the only world record holders in the glamour
\nswimming and track and field events and are also looking for a
\nmedal bonanza in weightlifting and gymnastics.<\/p>\n
However for China's sporting reputation, a drug-free Games is
\nmore important than any number of medals.<\/p>\n
In Hiroshima, 11 Chinese failed drug tests, two of them
\nswimming world champions. The taint followed China to this year's
\nWorld Swimming Championships where it was involved in four more
\ndoping cases.<\/p>\n
-- More stories on Page 8<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-bug-attack-clouds-games-opening-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }