On the Scene: Asia Olympics Chief Arrives in Sapporo

Coverage of the 8th Asian Winter Games Proudly Sponsored by the Olympic Council of Asia.

(ATR) The weather was cold, the welcome warm in Sapporo Saturday for Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah.

The temperature in northern Japan was minus 6c when the Kuwaiti sports leader stepped off the plane on this eve of the 8th Asian Winter Games. An hour later, applause greeted Ahmad as he stepped into the lobby of the Sapporo Grand Hotel. Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda and fellow IOC member was there to greet him along with other IOC and OCA figures.

"For us this is not the first Winter Games. We are familiar with the Winter Games in Asia and we are the host of the next two Winter Olympics in Asia," Ahmad Al Sabah told Around the Rings about his confidence for the games, which run from Feb. 19 to 26.

It’s the third time for the Asian Winter Games, 1986 and 1990 the first two. Those were made possible by the hosting of the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first to be held outside Europe or North America.

Seven of the 12 venues in use for the 2017 AWG date their history back to the ’72 Games.

"We are very excited," Takeda told ATR. "Good memories here from the 1972 Winter Olympics and this is the third time for the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo. This is a winter sports city," he said.

Takeda, atwo-time equestrian Olympian in 1972 and 1976, has been president of the JOC since 2001. For Sapporo he holds the title of honorary president of the AWG organizing committee.

The 2017 Asian Winter Games officially get underway with the opening ceremony at the Sapporo Dome Feb. 19.

Ice hockey and curling matches have begun.

Elite winter sports athletes from 29 countries will compete for medals in 64 events across five sports and 11 disciplines. For the first time Australia and New Zealand have been invited to compete but will not be eligible to win medals.

Around the Rings is onsite in Sapporo with a staff of five covering the AWG.

Written and reported in Sapporo by Brian Pinelli.

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